


Causality

by Toastiel



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Major Original Character(s), Multi, Pride, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Self-degradation, Societal Degradation, Torture, Violence, reverse!The French Mistake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 09:11:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 51,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9065362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toastiel/pseuds/Toastiel
Summary: When five friends meet up at Salute to Supernatural Vancouver, they expect to have the time of their lives. True to their nature, it’s difficult for some to stay out of trouble. The group finds themselves being dragged through a portal and into the world of their favorite show. Only, this isn’t the Supernatural they all know. They discover that reading about something, and living it are two vastly different things. The physical changes and the shift in group dynamic are one thing. It’s the mental and emotional challenges that come with such an alpha-geared society that makes everything difficult.  Everyone else seems to be adjusting just fine, which is great considering there’s no hope of ever going home, but Aria can’t seem to figure herself out. She’s omega, but she’s not going to just lay down and let the world walk all over her. She’s got a brain, and she’s not afraid to tell a knothead alpha exactly what she thinks, Dean Winchester included. Still, she’s an omega, and there’s something about alpha archangel Michael that makes her want to bow in submission and do anything he asks of her.  Aria thought she knew who she was, what she wanted, and where she was going in life. Now she’s not so sure.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in response to the SPN ABO Big Bang over on Tumblr. 
> 
> The artwork is all thanks to the ever amazing @stardustandfreckles. Thank you so so much love. 
> 
> And many thanks to my dear friends who let me use them as inspiration, as well as for being my betas throughout this whole past year of writing. I love you all.

 

 

This was it. The moment she felt she had been waiting for her entire life. She bounced on the balls of her feet, anxiously shifting her weight from side to side. She was almost there, almost at the front of the line that seemed to stretch on forever. She’d been standing there for almost two hours, and in hindsight she probably should have taken the advice of several veterans and done the pre-registration the night before, but she’d been exhausted.

 

She’d spent the previous week prepping for the trip. She’d packed everything she could possibly think to pack in her large rolling suitcase, then unpacked it and repacked it several times over the course of the week just to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. Even when she was certain everything was together and packed in its proper place, she’d had a neurotic fit the morning of her flight and redone it all again.

 

Her flight was another story. She’d gotten a window seat for her first ever flight and she had been happy with that until halfway through the flight to Chicago for her layover, when a very angry toddler in the seat behind her had decided to wake from his ‘nap’ and spend the next hour kicking the back of her seat. She had never wanted to punch a child before, but she was starting to rethink her stance.

 

Her flight from Chicago had been much better, until somewhere over Colorado when she realized the same kid was now two seats behind her and the man’s seat he decided to kick then had been none other than the very large, very sleep-deprived Ty Olsson. One glare from him had shut the kid up for the remainder of the flight and she was sorely tempted to shower him with thanks. His respondent chuckle to her exclamation of ‘thank Chuck!’ was more than enough acknowledgement for her.

 

Now she stood in line at the Westin Bayshore Hotel waiting to reach the registration area. She’d decided lighter was better in this case, and it was only the first of what was sure to be three amazing days, so she had forgone her female!Lucifer cosplay and settled on dressing as every other hunter in line. Jeans that hugged her ass just right, her black and grey AKF raglan, black Converse, and a black and grey plaid flannel shirt. Her black leather messenger bag was tossed across her body, holding her tickets, wallet, and her custom Lucifer and Chuck POP figures.

 

She ran a hand through her pixie cut sandy hair and puffed out a breath as her seafoam green eyes darted about. August in Vancouver was apparently just as bad as August back home, and at eight o’clock in the morning it was nearing 80 degrees. Thankfully she’d already made it inside where the air conditioning was running full blast.

 

‘So close,’ she thought as she bit at her bottom lip. Only four more people ahead of her now. She could almost touch the table. She moved forward one space. Then another. Then another. ‘One more...come on! Hurry it up already!’

 

Her internal grousing was cut short as she finally stepped up the table. Once registered, she slipped her lanyard proudly around her neck and stepped to the side. She glanced at her schedule then pulled out her phone. “Wonder if anyone else is here yet?”

 

She really didn’t need to ask. The moment she walked into the panel hall she was attacked from both sides, the flailing of arms accompanied with a chorus of ‘Aria!’ and a bone crushing hug. A third figure barreled into them from the back and sent them all tumbling to the carpeted floor.

 

“I can’t take you kids anywhere, can I?” an amused voice quipped. She looked up to find a petite figure with long dark hair dressed in a similar fashion as herself.

 

“Hey, Christine,” Aria grinned from her place on the floor. She struggled to pick herself out of the pile of limbs and torsos. She stood and brushed herself off before attacking Christine with a hug. The other three forms slowly untangled themselves from the heap and stood.

 

“Hey guys.” Aria turned to look at them with a wide grin. Next to Christine, Aria was the oldest and the three before her were her ‘younguns.’ They were all the same age, barely adults and fresh out of high school. Max was the same height as Aria, and they would have looked like twins a few years before with matching red hair. The difference would have been Max’s hazel eyes. Beside her was Renee, a shorter brunette with long hair and stormy eyes hidden behind green plastic-framed glasses. The only guy in the group was Xander, with his dirty blond hair and emerald eyes. They were all dressed in similar fashion and wearing infectious smiles, and they all seemed to be just as excited as she felt.

 

“Glad to know I’m the last to arrive.” Aria poked out her tongue with a faux pout.

 

“It's ‘cause we’re old. I just got here, too.” Christine said with a wink and a reassuring smile.

 

“You’re not old!” the three behind her chimed. It was a long standing argument that never really went anywhere.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s get our seats.” Aria suggested. The hall was beginning to fill and she wanted to be as close to the action as possible. “You guys won’t believe who was behind me on the plane from O’Hare.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Tell us!”

 

“Was it Rob? Or Misha?”

 

“Tell us!”

 

They found five seats towards the front, all of them having splurged and gone for the best, and most expensive, package.

 

“Ty Olsson!” Aria cried, fangirling just a bit. “It was amazing. This little brat was being a pain, kicking the back of his seat and screaming it’s head off for no reason. He gave the kid one look and shut him up for the rest of the flight. It was perfect.”

 

“Lucky!” Renee cried. The other three nodded in agreement.

 

“Lucky would have been finding the lady-balls to talk to him. I just muttered something and blushed like an idiot.” She rolled her eyes at her own awkward moment. She could be incredibly outgoing, talking to anyone that would listen about pretty much anything, then the next moment she would be stumbling over her own tongue, trying not to die of shyness. It was incredibly frustrating.

 

“Still. The most incredible thing about my flight was some crazy lady in the back screaming about how we were all going to die. I told her to try humming Metallica.” Max’s grin was somewhat devilish.

 

“My flight was boring. I slept most of the way.” Xander shrugged.

 

“Same.” Christine and Renee intoned.

 

The group chatted about anything and everything for a long time as the hall slowly filled up. It was nice, Aria had to admit, to be able to talk to them all face to face. They had been damn near family for the better part of two years, but had never actually spoken in person. It was a good change.

 

“Who’s ready to have some fun!” a voice they all knew too well boomed over the sound system. She could see Christine’ face light up and if she hadn’t already known who it was, the feisty pixie’s near-manic expression would have been a dead giveaway.

 

Without warning, Christine yelled loudly over the crowd, “Rich!” It was almost painful to hear from her seat right next to her, and she was certain she caught a grimace from several others nearby. Not that Aria had room to talk, because a moment later another voice boomed out.

 

“Come on, VanCon! You can do better than that!”

 

“Rob!” Aria squealed, all pretense of having any dignity immediately thrown out the window at the sight of her pint-sized, curly-haired rock god. She clutched her custom Chuck POP to her chest, her eyes glued to the real version on the stage. The first panel began shortly after with the Kings of Con introducing Jared and Jensen to a deafening round of cheers and applause. They spent the remainder of the morning in panels, breaking for lunch around one.

 

“I’m starving!” Xander groaned as they exited the panel hall. A murmur of agreement swept over the group and they headed off in search of something to eat.

 

“What are you guys in the mood for? We’ve got almost 2 hours to kill.” Renee asked as she glanced at her phone.

 

“I saw this little place called The Fat Badger. You guys interested?” Aria asked. She honestly wouldn’t have noticed it if the name hadn’t called to her inner Hufflepuff.

 

“Sure.”

 

“Sounds good.”

 

“I’m alright with it.”

 

“Yay! Badger!”

 

An hour later found them full of greasy traditional pub fare and lounging around the hotel, looking for ways to while away the time. Christine and Aria were sat on the floor, their backs against the wall. On one side was Renee, her head nestled lazily against Christine’ shoulder. To the other side was Xander, his head resting against Aria’s thigh. Between them, Max was snuggling with Aria’s Luc POP, her head propped on a pillow of folded flannel.

 

“Hey, guys! Look! R2M!” Renee said with a small squeal of excitement. She was right. Just across the lobby stood Rich, Rob, and Matt. Aria grinned mischievously.

 

“Stay here.” She pushed Xander’s head off her lap and stood. She knew she’d have to act quickly before she lost her nerve and became a bumbling mess. She marched over to them, waiting patiently for them to acknowledge her. She gave a small, shy wave to Rich and Rob before turning to Matt with a sweet grin.

 

“Hi. Uhm...I have a-hmm-unique question.”

 

“O-okay.” He sounded worried and she knew he should be.

 

“My friend over there, the tiny one with the bangs…”She turned to point over her shoulder at the group. They were all giving her curious and somewhat concerned looks, even more so after she pointed them out to Matt.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“She has the same boxing coach as you. She goes to his gym in New York. I was wondering if you might just step over and say hi.”

 

“Oh.” He seemed pleasantly surprised. He glanced at Rich and Rob, receiving a shrug and a nod from both. “Sure.”

 

“Really? Fantastic. Here’s the thing. Instead of just saying ‘hi’ like normal people, I want you to punch her.”

 

“What?” Now he was shocked. “I can’t just-”

 

“No! It’s not a bad thing! She’ll like it. I swear. It would be a thousand time more special to her than any autograph or photo op.”

 

“I don’t know…”He gave her an uncomfortable look, as if he expected it to be some kind of a trap.

 

“Please? She wants to fight you, but this will be almost as good.” Aria pouted, giving her best hurt puppy look. Eventually, he relented amid the snickers of the Kings of Con.

 

“Yeah. Alright. What the hell.” He sighed and shrugged.

 

“Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She cried, bouncing a bit before launching herself at him and hugging him around the middle.

 

Five minutes later Christine was holding her hand over her left breast and Matt was rubbing at his jaw. Both wore similar smiles. Aria, Renee, Max, Xander, Rich, and Rob were all laughing to various degrees.

 

“I have to say,” Rich crooned between laughs, “that was the best thing ever. She had no idea, did she?”

 

“Nope.” Aria said with a smile of victory. At least now her friend could check off an item on her list of life goals. Maybe two.

 

As the trio departed, the group began to wander a bit.

 

“Who’s up for a bit of fun?” Christine asked, her eyes fixed on a door that read ‘Cast and Crew Only.’

 

“Whatcha got in mind, lovebug?” Aria threw an arm around the smaller woman’s shoulders.

 

“Let’s sneak into the green room.”

 

The younger three gave her a wary look.

 

“Yes!” Aria cried out. “Come on!”

 

She pulled Christine towards the door, motioning for the others to follow them. They were hesitant, but followed regardless. After checking to make sure no one was watching, Aria eased open the door and looked inside.

 

“It's clear. Come on!” She ushered them all inside. Her heart was pounding against her ribs and she was pretty sure the others could hear it too. They began the trek down the hallway, peeking into various rooms. Most were empty, a few were used as storage for stage equipment, and at the end of the hallway they could see a door clearly marked ‘Green Room.’ They crept towards it slowly, keeping an eye out for security or cast.

 

“I can’t believe we’re doing this.” Max said with a slight grin.

 

“We’re going to be in so much trouble if we get caught.” Renee whispered.

 

“If we get caught. We might not. Come on, little ones. Live a little.” Aria smiled impishly.

 

“What if they ban us? This is my first con! I can’t get banned!” Xander fretted.

 

“Just chill. Keep your voice down.” Christine gave an exasperated sigh. “If anyone finds us, we play dumb, act like we’re lost or something.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Alright.”

 

“If you say so.”

 

“Guys…” Aria stopped short, looking into one of the rooms. The door wasn’t marked and had been left ajar. The sound of several voices floated down the hall, several sets of footsteps growing louder and louder against the linoleum floor.

 

“Inside, quick.” Christine ushered the younger ones through the door and followed, Aria bringing up the rear. She eased the door shut and leaned back against it, listening and waiting.

 

“Uhhh-” Renee’s voice sounded loud in the too quiet room. Everyone turned to look at her, understanding her confusion.

 

“Isn’t that…”

 

“Y-yeah. It is.”

 

Painted in red on the large wall-length floor-to-ceiling mirror were what appeared to be Enochian sigils. They looked familiar, but Aria was slow to place them exactly. “Maybe Misha or someone got bored.”

 

“How are they glowing like that?” Xander asked, an edge of fear to his voice. There was definitely something going on here, and it had the hairs on the back of Aria’s neck standing up.

 

“Wait,” Max said softly, backing up just a bit. Her eyes were wide with recognition. “That’s the sigil from The French Mistake. That’s Balthazar’s sigil, the one he painted on the win-”

 

Her words were cut off as a loud, howling wind filled the room. The sigils glowed bright like heat elements on a stove, and it felt as though they were being pulled towards it.

 

“What’s happening?” Aria yelled, looking at the other four. No one had an answer. With a final blast of icy wind, the group was pulled forwards into the glass. She expected to feel pain as the glass shattered around them, but instead it felt like being sucked through a tube that was just a bit too small. Breathing was nearly impossible and for a moment she wondered if they were all going to die. The next second they were landing hard on the ground, gasping for air.


	2. Chapter 2

 

“Well, that was not what I had in mind.”

She knew that voice, with its odd French-English accent and it's somewhat gravelly texture. Aria pushed herself to her feet slowly, her head spinning and her vision blurred.

“What the hell just happened?” a voice yelled from her left. Christine. She barely managed to dodge a flailing arm and avoid getting punched in the face.

“You guys don’t think…” Renee.

“What the hell is going on here?” A gruff voice sounded with a bit of a country accent. Bobby. Wait. Bobby!? Aria looked up, shaking her head slightly to clear her vision. She’d never been more happy that she’d worn her contacts instead of her glasses. She wasn’t just imagining things. There was Bobby Singer in all his living glory, looking at the five of them like they might be poisonous or possibly rabid. Rabid is like crazy, right? If that’s the case, he wasn’t too far off.

“I just asked that!” Christine yells, still flailing her arms about.

“I think I’ve lost my mind…” Xander’s voice comes from somewhere behind her.

“Gotta have one to lose it.” Max quipped.

“You better have a damn good explanation for this.” Bobby rounded on the first man. Sebastian. No, she corrected herself. Balthazar. Sweet Chuck, what the Hell was going on here?

“Bobby? Everything alright? We heard a crash.” another familiar voice to add to the growing list.

“Hell if I know. This idjit friend o’ yours has gone and done somethin’ stupid.” Bobby glared at the angel before turning to look at the source of the question. She glanced over her shoulder, seeing the other four do the same. Dean. She swallowed hard. Well, damn. Did he have to be just as attractive here as he was there? Wherever here and there were of course.

“Yeah, I can see that.” He rakes his sharp green eyes over the group still spread out on the floor. It was then that Aria took a moment to glance around and noted that they were actually in the middle of Bobby’s living room and it was almost exactly like the set from the show. Stacks of books covered almost every surface and there were bookshelves full to bursting all over the room.

“G-guys...uhm...I think-I think we just French Mistaked all over this thing.” Aria said weakly. She felt faint. Her heart was still pounding in her chest and she could hear the blood pumping in her ears. This couldn’t possibly end well.

“What’s going on?” Sam. The moose of a hunter was standing three feet in front of her and from her seat on the floor she felt like an ant. She looked up at him, green eyes wide in awe.

She wanted to say something witty, or funny, or even remotely intelligent, but the only thing she could manage was a whispered, “Fuck, you’re tall.”

His hazel eyes went from shocked, to worried, to amused in the span of five seconds as he looked down at her. She should probably stand up, and the thought did occur to her to try, but there was just too much going on. It was all overwhelming. She could still hear Renee and Christine talking loudly in the background, and somewhere in the back of her mind she registered Max and Xander fretting and spewing out worst-case scenarios.

Why was it suddenly sweltering in the room? Had it been so stiflingly hot a moment ago? Aria glanced at the others, but the only one that seemed to notice the sudden temperature change was Xander. He looked about as bad as she felt and she wondered briefly if maybe they were just handling it differently. She noticed Christine was a bit flushed, but nowhere near as peakish as she and Xander.

“I’m not feeling so good.” She heard the blond boy mutter. She nodded and raised her hand to second the comment.

“Whoops.” Everyone turned to look at the angel responsible.

“Whoops?” Dean repeated, his tone demanding more of an explanation that just ‘whoops.’

“This is going to get very awkward.” Balthazar started, his eyes moving between the hunters and the group on the floor. “I believe they’re...changing.”

“Ch-changing?” Renee asked. “Changing how?”

“Yeah, Balthazar. Changing how?” Dean growled. He actually growled and it made Aria want to hide in a dark corner somewhere.

“Physiologically, they’re not that different from us. With one exception. In their universe, it would seem, everyone is beta.” He said it rather matter-of-factly and it took her a moment to actually understand what he was saying.

“Beta?” She squeaked. She looked at Christine with wide eyes. She knew what that meant, and she assumed by the looks of understanding on the faces of the others that they understood, too.

“You, my dear,” he knelt down to look Aria in the eye, “ and the blond one over there, are turning omega. What you would have been had you been born in this universe.”

“And you, feisty one,” he looked at Christine, “are very much becoming alpha. Your’s won’t be so hard. You two though…”

Aria glared weakly at him. “You could try acting a bit more concerned. Or, I don’t know, contrite. Send us back! Now!”

She couldn’t believe she was yelling at him, and neither could the rest of them really, but there it was. She had a churning feeling in her stomach that told her to stop now and beg for forgiveness, but she shoved it down. Fuck that. It was all his fault and if he couldn’t make it right, she’d damn well make him pay.

“Can’t. Sorry.” He didn’t sound sorry at all.

“What do you mean by ‘can’t?” Christine growled. Shit. That had her wanting to hide, too.

‘FUCK!’ she screamed internally. ‘Fuck, fuck, fuck!’

“I mean, I can’t. It was a one off. I can try again, but it won’t be for a while. Maybe a few months even. Conditions have to be right, alignments and what-have-you.” He waved a hand dismissively. “Well, this has been nice. Best of luck to you all, but I really must be going.”

“Wait...going? Going where? You can’t just leave, you fluffy-feathered dick! You have to fix this!”

‘You go, Renee. Yell at him for me.’ Aria thought. She really felt like lying down now. Fuck, this was getting complicated. She’d always dreamed of landing in this world, but not like this. Maybe a part of her knew she’d be omega in such circumstances, but she never actually wanted it to happen. Chances were omegas were less than third class in this world. Progressive ideals were nice, but rarely the truth.

“Guys…”Xander whined softly. He was damn near doubled over, sweat pouring from him. Shit. He had it worse, it would seem. It made sense. All of her changes would be neural; remapping of pathways, altering hormone levels and the slight changes needed to produce higher amounts of pheromones and the unfortunate requirement of going into heat.

‘Double fuck. Heat cycles. Shit.’ Aria shook her head and pushed herself to her feet. She was a bit wobbly, but steady enough to walk. She moved over to Xander, kneeling beside him and pulling him close against her. She couldn’t explain why, but it felt right. She glared at the rest of the room’s occupants, wanting nothing more that to yell for them all to just shut the hell up, but she couldn’t find the words.

“Shh...It’ll be alright.” She crooned in his ear. She really hoped it would be. He had much more to go through than she did. His entire body had to alter. ‘Fffffuuuucccckkkk.’

They were yelling now, Dean’s temper flaring and setting off Christine, and in turn setting off Sam. Bobby was trying to calm them all down, but it was a waste of time. Trying to calm down three alphas having a pissing contest was like throwing a bucket of water on a volcano; not really worth the burn that would result from exposure.

“Everyone just shut the fuck up!” Aria yelled as loud as she could. The changes were still taking place but she was certain that subconsciously the three alphas registered her as an omega, and the idea of an omega trying to challenge them had all three turning to snarl at her. She swallowed hard, but didn’t look away. Looking away was a sign of submission and that was not going to happen. She’d never been one to just roll over and do what was expected of her, why start now?

“He’s burning up.” Her voice was small, but steady as she looked down at the trembling figure in her arms. She wasn’t feeling great, but she wasn’t so bad by comparison.

Max moved over to his other side, pressing the back of one hand to his forehead. “I think he needs a doctor.”

The worry in her voice made Aria want to cry, more so because she knew that a doctor couldn’t do a damn thing to help.

“Move.” Dean groused as he bent down to pick Xander up. He carried him up the stairs and left the others behind to wonder what he was doing. Aria scrambled to her feet and followed after him, stumbling up the stairs. She followed the slight sounds of whimpering to a bedroom at the end of the second floor hallway and found Dean placing him on a bed.

“You want to be useful, get me a cold cloth.” He ordered. She rationalized that she did it to help Xander and not because an alpha had told her to. She returned a moment later with a cool washcloth and began wiping at Xander’s face and neck. She tried to think back over the countless hours of ABO fanfiction she had so greedily consumed, searching for anything that might help him make it through this relatively unscathed. ‘Transitions require a lot of calories, and he doesn’t really have much in the way of weight to lose. He’ll also need a lot of water, and it probably wouldn’t hurt for him to get some sleep.’

She bit her bottom lip as she looked him over. He was still whining, but it was barely audible now, and he didn’t look nearly as distressed. She pressed a kiss to his damp forehead and pulled back. “I’ll be right back, sweetie. You just hang in there.”

She moved past the group that was slowly accumulating outside in the hallway and ran back down the stairs. Having something and someone else to focus on seemed to be helping her to function. She forgot about her own problems, like the annoying ache in the pit of her stomach, or the growing urge to just curl up somewhere secluded and sleep for a few days. Instead she found her way to the kitchen and thus the refrigerator.

‘Thank Chuck for Sammy and his healthy obsession.’ she thought as she grabbed two bottles of cold water. She needed something high in calories, but not overly filling. She didn’t want to risk making him ill on top of everything else.

“Protein bars are in the cabinet.” Sam. Again. She shot him a look of gratitude over her shoulder and moved to the cabinets. She pocketed several chocolate flavored bars and a vanilla one for herself and headed back up the stairs. She didn’t say a word as she wormed her way back into the room and to his bedside.

“Hey, sweetie. I know it’s hard, but you gotta eat something. If you don’t, your body’s going to start going after fat and muscle for fuel and you really don’t have much to spare.” She helped him to sit up and broke the wrapper on a bar for him, shoving it into his hands. His eyes were somewhat glazed and unfocused, but she knew he was thankful by the way he squeezed her hand lightly before taking a small bite of the offered food. She cracked the lid of a water bottle and held it out to him.

Only when he was fed, hydrated, and lying back down did she focus on herself. She downed the vanilla bar in four large bites and chugged half her bottle of water in one go.

“How long is this going to take? The transformation?” The question wasn’t directed at anyone in particular, and she grew annoyed when no one offered up an answer.

“How. Long?” She didn’t even try to hide her irritation. Things were bad enough right now without people wanting to act like she didn’t exist.

“Could be a few hours, could be a few days.” Bobby’s voice floated to her ears. She nodded and stood, turning to look at the others. Damn, she was tired. If she figured right, she’d hardly slept in three days. The excitement of going to VanCon, coupled with the inability to sleep while a toddler screamed and kicked at her seat on the plane had worn her down. The few hours she managed in her hotel room had barely scratched the surface of her deficit.

Her balance wavered as she took a step towards Max and Renee. They’d been handling things so well, and she felt awful for ignoring them. “Come here, you two.”

She motioned the two lucky ones over. They seemed to be perfectly fine, and Balthazar hadn’t pointed them out earlier.

“My little betas. You have no idea how fortunate you are. If we get stuck here, you won’t have to worry about a thing.” She whispered as she pulled them both to her in a tight hug. She was drained and fighting it so hard, but she had to make certain that everyone else was alright before she could worry too much about herself. Rather, before she could hole up somewhere and cry herself to sleep. The first one sounded much more noble in her mind.

“You shouldn’t be worrying either, Aria. We’re here for you. Nothing’s gonna change that.” Renee’s words brought her comfort, but it was tinged with a sadness she didn’t understand.

Max hugged her tight around the neck, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, we got this, Aria. We’re Puffletuffs, remember?”

She couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “What would I do without you guys?”

“Probably worry about yourself for once.” A small, warm hand found its way to her shoulder and she turned to find Christine standing behind her.

“You need sleep.” She said in a serious tone. Aria shook her head.

“‘M fine, lovebug. Got my babies to worry about first.” She insisted as she stifled a yawn.

“Don’t make me do it.” She was caught slightly off guard by the warning in the older woman’s tone. She knew what Christine was referring to, but the stubborn side of her simply refused to admit defeat.

“Really, Christine, ‘m fine.”

“Bed.” Shit. It was a one warning kind of system today. Even new to it, Christine somehow knew how to summon that tone. Alpha Voice. Just reading about it had made her shiver in the past and now it had her wanting to sink into the floor and cower. She hung her head, the scent of remorse filling the air around her.

She turned to move back to the bed when a pair of arms wrapped around her and for a moment she felt safe and alright for the first time in what felt like days. Christine was hugging her, and her inner omega was responding. She felt a hand brush at the nape of her neck and she felt her body go numb and lax. She was still standing, but only just.

“Get some sleep. Nothing’s going to happen.” Her tone was so incredibly reassuring. Damn pheromones, she thought as she climbed onto the bed and fell to rest beside Xander. She gathered him to her, fitting his head beneath her chin. Within moments, she was out cold.


	3. Chapter 3

 

Aria woke up feeling rather dead. Her limbs were heavy, like they had been filled with lead, and her mind was fuzzy. She could hear something, someone talking maybe, but it was like trying to listen through a keyhole stuffed with cotton. She cracked open an eye and wished she hadn’t. The room was dark save for the lamp next to the bed and the light from it was damn near blinding. A dull throbbing took over the fuzzy feeling and she reeled from it.

“Hey.” A voice whispered softly, a hand falling on her shoulder. It sounded familiar but she was having a hard time placing it. “Take it easy. You’re alright.”

“Who are you?” She whispered, her voice cracking a bit. She tried to swallow, but her throat was too dry for it to do any good.

“If you didn’t look like shit, I’d be offended. It’s me, Aria.” Now she felt bad. How could she forget her Christine?

“‘M sorry.” She groaned, burying her face against the pillow. Had it always been so scratchy? It felt like burlap against her cheeks. A calming hand fell on her shoulder and she whimpered. God she felt like shit, and feeling like she was being a needy toddler wasn’t helping. She had to get up, had to move around and do something productive.

Aria struggled to sit up but finally managed. It took another few minutes for the world around her to stop pitching and swaying before her. “How long have I been out?”

“About nine hours or so.” Christine moved to sit beside her, running a hand through her short hair. “How are you feeling?”

“Eh.” She replied, shrugging her shoulders a bit. Even that small bit of movement took an incredible amount of energy on her part. “I feel like I should be doing something.”

“The only thing you should be doing is resting.” A deep voice said from behind them. Both women turned to find Dean standing in the doorway, the light from the hallway throwing him into shadow.

“I’m not tired.” Aria ground out. Again she was struck with the urge to apologize even though consciously she knew she wasn’t sorry. “Nine hours of sleep will do that.”

‘Just shut up before you piss him off.’ she thought. Her mouth was having trouble connecting with her brain.

“I wasn’t asking.” He bit back as he stepped into the room. She was suddenly surrounded by the scent of fresh apples, old leather, gunpowder, and freshly dug earth. Then the scent of irritation set in. She was treading a thin line, she knew that. It didn’t seem to make much of a difference in her mind.

“Neither was I.” Her voice was sickly sweet as she locked eyes with him. His nostrils flared and he took another step forward.

“What are you going to do, anyways? You can barely walk. Just stay here like a good omega. We can't focus on figuring this out if we have to look after you too.”

Seriously? Who the hell did Dean Winchester think he was? She could damn well look after herself. She was a grown woman for Chuck’s sake.

“I can start by kicking you ass.” She snapped, her lips set in a thin line as her ire rose.

He bore down on her then, stopping only an inch from her face. She could feel his breath, warm and heavy against her face and she knew she should back down. That just wasn't her, omega or no. She stared at him, her jaw set and her chin raised in defiance. His natural alpha musk was almost too much for her sensitive nose but she shoved it away.

He growled but she didn't flinch.

“My chihuahua is more intimidating.” She deadpanned.

He snarled. The corner of her eye twitched.

“That the best you got? I'm starting to think the real thing just doesn't contend with the idea.”

“Aria.” Christine warned. She waved it off, her eyes never leaving his. She raised her brow and cocked her head in a challenging look.

“You're pushing it, bitch.” He ground out. His eyes were no longer emerald green, but rather, they were the color of glowing coals. She could smell his growing fury and instead of running from it like her gut was begging of her, she stood a bit taller and smiled crookedly.

“It's a gift.” The moment the snarky comment left her lips his hand connected hard with the side of her face. Pain flooded her sense as her world pitched violently. She managed to remain standing after her head snapped to the side, and she briefly wished that hadn't been the case.

One large hand closed firmly around her throat and he pulled her up to his level. The tips of her toes were barely brushing the worn hardwood floor and she was struggling to pull in a breath.

“You're gonna want to learn your place here real damn quick, sweetheart. I'm nice compared to most alphas.” He let her go, walking away as she crumpled to the floor in a heap.

“Dick.” She grumbled under her breath.

“I heard that.” He growled loudly from the hallway.

“Why do you have to antagonize people?”

“Coming from the woman whose solution for every perceived slight is physical violence.” She muttered.

“Aria, baby, you understand what's happening here as well as I do. You know that pushing buttons won't get you where you want to go.” A hand carded through her hair and she fought not to melt into the touch.

“Who I am isn't going to change because some dick angel decided to play with the universe. I'm not just going to roll over and accept that I'm bound for...that.” She spat the word.

“That's not how you felt about it yesterday.” The petite brunette raised a brow.

“Yesterday it was a fantasy in my head. Today, it's real and it's terrifying. I...I'm a human being and suddenly I've been downgraded to the house pet. Hell, I bet you the moment they think I'm better, they're gonna toss a collar around my neck and try to sell me off.”

She didn't put much faith in people, especially people she didn't really know. While she hoped beyond reason that things would be easy, that this would be a strongly progressive ABO universe, she knew that the chances were slim.

With a huff Aria pushed up off the floor and stretched before making her way out of the room and downstairs.

“Aria, please just get back in bed. Come morning, we’ll all sit down and figure this out. Max and Renee have been reading and researching all afternoon.” Christine followed closely behind.

“Can't sleep if I'm not tired.”

“Then rest. I can bring you a couple of books if you want.”

“If I want books I'll get them myself.”

“Aria-”

“No!” She paused at the head of the stairs. She felt bad about it the moment she snapped, but what was she supposed to do? She was losing control of everything in her life and it was starting to piss her off.

“I'm not an invalid and I don't need people to pamper me or mother me. I'm grown ass adult. I can take care of myself and I can damn well decide when I'm done being stuck in bed. I'm not tired, so just drop it.” Her voice wavered slightly as the scent of another alpha greeted her. She glanced at the stairs to find Sam watching her with concern. It should have made her...happy, maybe? Or at least excited. Sam fucking Winchester was concerned about her! All it did was piss her off that much more.

She stormed down the stairs, shoving past him, and went straight for the front door. She needed to get out of this house for a minute. She needed fresh air and a chance to think. She didn't stop to see the look of sadness and understanding on her friend’s face.

The moment she stepped outside, she ran. She didn't know where she was going but it didn't really matter. She wasn't even trying to run away. She would never abandon her friends like that. She just needed to get away, to breathe without feeling like she was slowly suffocating. She weaved through the stacks of scrap and the rows of junk cars, her legs and lungs burning. She didn't stop until she had no other choice. She stumbled on shaky legs and fell to lean against an old Crown Vic, her chest heaving as she doubled over.

“What the hell am I going to do?” She asked herself between gasps. She'd always dreamed about something like this and now that it was happening she was dead set on fighting against it. She didn't even understand why, or at least not entirely. Being omega fit her. She'd always been the submissive type, doing as she was told, happy to make others happy without a care about herself, and so on.

So where did the problem lie? Leashes and collars and marking? No, that was more of a turn on than a turn off. Being taken care of and protected by a strong, attractive alpha that would provide for her? It might be a nice change. Being seen as something less than human, as property, due to circumstance? There it was. Slavery. Biologically acceptable slavery. How could she accept something so abhorrent?

“Because I have no other choice.” Technically that wasn't true. She could kill herself. That was a choice. She'd have control over the situation. A last act of defiance.

“Never gonna happen.” The idea of doing something like that made her ill. In hindsight it was for the best. She couldn't just up and walk away like that, like she was weak, or cowardly. She wasn't. What then? Just roll over and play the part? Give up? Give in? Get on with her life? That sounded nice. What was stopping her from continuing as she normally would? Nothing. Nothing at all. That was it then; she would go back to the house, apologize for running off (because she wasn’t going to apologize for the rest of it if they tied her down and forced hellfire down her throat), and then she would move on. Maybe she could go back to uni, or get a job. Anything to occupy herself and set herself up for an eventual life of independance. She couldn’t very well live with Bobby forever. In the event that they couldn’t get back, it would do to have a nice plan B to fall back on.

She pushed off of the car and slowly began to make her way back towards the house. She’d gone pretty far, but not as far as it felt. She was horribly out of shape and had never been much of a runner. She wasn’t surprised that it hadn’t taken her long to grow tired. She could see the lights of the house now, glowing like a beacon in the inky darkness. A small sliver of silver-white moon hung in the sky, stars winking against the velvety backdrop like miniscule diamonds. It was actually pretty. She was so caught up in her stargazing that the flutter of wings went unnoticed. She didn’t even see the three men appear before her until she was sitting on the cool, damp ground.

“What the hell?” She muttered, looking up to see what had been rude enough to jump in her way. If she’d managed to walk into a car she thought she might just have to reconsider the suicide because stupidity had no place in the world. Nope.

“Nope.” Shit. She’d said that out loud. Now they were looking at her. She wondered if there was some way for her to just get up and walk away like nothing had happened because she really wasn’t in the frame of mind necessary for dealing with these men. “Nope.”

“You okay, miss?” She was pretty sure her heart stopped for a beat. Gabriel was crouched barely a foot away. She wanted to jump him, to hug him tight and make sure that he was real and alive and not just a figment of her twisted and cruel imagination. Instead she squeaked and nodded shortly. She swallowed hard at the lump that was forming in her throat, and she opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. It would probably only make this more awkward for her.

“Are you injured?” Castiel. Oh sweet Chuck in Bermuda, that voice and those eyes. Those eyes that were looking at her with concern. She was about to have a serious fangirl moment. She took a deep breath and shook her head. She could smell him from here. Alpha. Of course the perpetually confused baby in a trenchcoat would be alpha. Xander was going to be one very happy omega when he woke up. He smelled nice, like fresh linens, honey, and ozone. They all smelled like ozone. Must be an angel thing. Gabriel stood and his scent wafted towards her. Spun sugar, fresh rain, and ozone. Just as Christine had always insisted. That made two very happy friends.

She looked over at the third, slightly smaller figure. Samandriel, Wiener Hut uniform and all. That was precious. Make that three friends. She could hardly smell him at all. The ozone was there, along with the sharp spice of cinnamon, mint, and something clean and pure. The longer she dwelled on the scents, the more they seemed to make sense. Each scent reflected the individual. She wondered what she smelled like to them.

“You sure you’re alright?” Gabriel reached out and tapped her foot, drawing her attention back to the present.

“Y-yeah, ‘m fine. Not the first time I’ve fallen on my ass. Doubt it will be my last.” She grumbled as she pushed herself back to her feet. She dusted off the seat of her jeans and looked at the three of them. Should she ask why they were there? Did it matter?

“I was just...heading inside. Come on in.” She had no idea why she said it that way, but whatever. It was done.

“You are one of them.”

She turned to look at Samandriel. It didn’t seem fair that someone so slight and innocent-looking had several inches on her. She had to look up slightly to meet his inquisitive gaze.

“One of whom, sweetheart?”

“The ones from the other universe, the ones that Balthazar pulled through.” He said it like it was an everyday occurrence. She couldn’t do anything more than nod. For a brief second she saw a look of sympathy and sadness pass his over his face, but she blinked and it was gone. She shook her head and pushed past them all, continuing on towards the house.

“She doesn’t look like much of a threat. Should I return and inform Michael?” She could hear Samandriel whisper not so quietly from behind her.

“No. We remain here for the time being. She is only one of the group. Michael will want reports on all five of them.” Cas’ gravely voice replied. She didn’t need to turn around to know that Samandriel was nodding along like the obedient angel he was.

Michael. Well, that was just fan-fucking-tastic. Why was he still alive? He was supposed to be in the Cage with Lucifer. Did that mean Lucifer was still out and about, too? That thought made her heart flutter a bit. There was one alpha she would have no qualms in belonging to. If she could, she’d purr like a kitten at the image in her head.

Aria jerked, squeaking softly as an arm fell around her waist. Gabriel had sidled up to her while she had been lost in her own thoughts. She looked over at him, her face falling into a look of confusion and irritation. “Can I help you?”

“You’re changing. I can smell it. You still smell kinda...beta, but it’s fading fast.” His tone wasn’t very playful and that worried her. “You’re turning omega, like me.”

“Omega? You? I figured all angels would be alpha, or at least beta.”

“Well...I was. A long time ago, anyways. Things happened. Omegas got scarce.” A shadow fell over his whiskey eyes and she felt guilty of saying anything about it at all. She knew what he meant by that, knew how it happened. She didn’t need specifics. Without a thought she stopped short and gathered the angel to her in a tight hug.

“I’m so so sorry.” She wanted to cry suddenly and she hated it. She blinked against the burning prickles behind her eyes and nuzzled her face against his cheek. He squeezed her tight before pulling back, his usual mischievous smile back in place.

“Hey, no crying. You start, I’ll start. It happened a long time ago and I’ve gotten...better.” He said carefully. She supposed it wasn’t something you ever got over, or let go of. She nodded and scrubbed at her eyes with the heels of her hands. With a triumphant grin, he linked his arm through her own and pulled her towards the house.

Gabriel threw open the front door with a very loud cry of, “Honey, I’m home!”

Within seconds, the small foyer was filled. Dean was glaring at her. Again. Christine and Sam gave her worried looks, before Christine’ eyes caught sight of the golden-eyed angel by her side. Her eyes widened as her nostrils flared. A hint of red ringed her iris’ as she pulled in his scent. Her tongue darted out over her lips like a serpent tasting the air. The sudden scent of alpha pheromones were too much and Aria’s stomach churned.

Both omegas were forced to take a step farther as Castiel and Samandriel entered the house behind them. Renee and Max had joined the group, and Bobby was keeping an eye on things from the staircase. Seeing the angels had both girls glowing with excitement until Renee caught sight of Samandriel over Aria’s shoulder and promptly fainted. Well, to be entirely fair, Aria had known that would likely be her response. She was up again fairly quickly, Max helping to support her. The group awkwardly dispersed into the living room and kitchen, though Renee had yet to look away from the angel she had been so long obsessed with. Only at the insistence of Bobby did the girls return to their stack of research books off to the corner of the room.

Aria pulled away from Gabriel and made her way up the stairs to check on Xander. He’d been asleep almost ten hours now, and while she expected it, part of her was still worried. She entered the room quietly and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. He’d kicked his covers to the floor and his body was coated in a light sheen of sweat. His body’s metabolism must be ramping up. She brushed his hair back from his forehead and leaned over to kiss his temple. When she pulled back, he’d cracked one eye open and was staring at her with a glazed expression.

“Wa’s g’n on…”he mumbled, and she shushed him.

“You’re still feverish. Your body isn’t done yet, baby.” She grabbed the bottle of water from the nightstand after helping him to sit up. “You need to eat something and drink some water, okay?”

He nodded and she pressed the lip of the bottle to his chapped lips. He looked as well as she could expect given the circumstances, but she still didn’t like how pale and clammy his skin was. His forehead was burning, his cheeks flushed, but his hands were like blocks of ice. She sat the water down and broke off part of a protein bar, pressing it to his lips and holding it while he took small nibbles from it. She smelled the angel before she heard him.

“Yes, Gabriel?” She asked evenly over her shoulder.

“Just wanted to see how he was fairing. I...I know how he feels, thought maybe I could help.” He shuffled his feet nervously. She nodded and motioned him over. He didn’t waste any time in slipping his shoes off and tossing his olive jacket aside. He tugged off his maroon shirt and crawled onto the bed, curling himself around a very dazed Xander. She was shocked and he seemed to notice.

“Physical contact helps. It’s calming, soothing. It’d be better with an alpha, but he’s not exactly mated and that can get dicey.” He explained as he snuggled against the smaller omega. It seemed to work, because Xander seemed to settle a bit. Before he had seemed a bit tense, and she could understand that, but now he was slowly melting against the archangel’s touch and it eased her concern by a fraction. She puffed out a breath and nodded at his words. If it helped Xander, she would have to be alright with it.

“Go eat. I’ll stay with him.” Gabriel encouraged. She was about to protest, but her stomach rumbled testily and she sighed. Traitor. She kissed Xander’s brow again and stood, leaving the two men to their snuggle session. Aria found herself back downstairs, standing awkwardly at the entrance to the living room.

“Find anything?” She asked, fighting back a yawn as her stomach rumbled again. She stepped over strewn books and various limbs that were spread out across the floor as she made her way to the kitchen.

“Nothing promising.” Max said sadly.

“Or reassuring.” Renee added. “Everything on omegas is pretty...bad. A step away from ‘How-to Train Your Dog.’ It’s awful.”

Aria nodded. Made sense. Books were written by the people with the means to do so and most of those would be alphas. Any research provided to back up anything scientific would have been conducted by alpha scientist on studies funded by rich alphas. She wouldn’t give up though. There had to be something at least neutral about omegas, about physiology or sociology.

“This one’s got South Dakota Omega Laws.” Christine held up a rather thick book. It looked kind of old, but so did most of Bobby’s vast collection. “They’re pretty rough, and not lenient in the least. It’s borderline slavery, and it’s perfectly acceptable. There’s nothing in here that deals with non-consent, abduction, rape...It’s pissing me off.”

“Yeah, well, at least you don’t have to abide by them.” Aria returned to the living room, a sandwich in hand, and plopped down on the sofa beside Christine. She looked over her shoulder at the book, but the print was small and she didn’t understand the legalese. She was about to take a bite from her sandwich when it was ripped out of her grasp. She looked up, ready to yell at whoever had taken it from her, but the words and anger died as she looked up into hard emerald eyes. What the hell was this guy’s problem?

“Can I have my food back, jackass?” She bit out.

“No.” He growled. “And get off the couch.”

“What? Why? No one was sitting here?”

He pointed to a pillow on the floor, nestled between the sofa and the recliner.

“You can’t be serious. I’m not sitting on the floor like some damn dog.” She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. He could keep the sandwich. She was too pissed to be hungry anymore.

“Omega’s don’t use furniture. Off. Now.” His eyes were glowing red again. She was back to treading that fine line. Adrenaline spiked in her system at the idea of a row, and she sneered at him.

“You first, princess.” She was rather proud of the fact that she barely twitched as the scent of his rage met her sensitive nose. She wasn’t so composed when he grabbed her arm in a vice-like grip and hauled her to her feet like she was a rag doll. She yelped loudly and struggled to free herself, but his hand was like iron around her forearm. She just knew there’d be bruises left behind. He spun them quickly, taking the seat she’d had on the sofa and tugging her down to the floor by his feet.

“You can fight this all you want, but it’s only going to make things harder for you. I’m trying to help, whether you see it that way or not. Rules are rules, and they need to be followed. Our lives are hard enough without having to worry about someone stopping by and turning us into the cops for something as stupid as an uppity omega thinking she can make her own rules.” He ground out as he tore her sandwich into bite size pieces.

“If we can’t find a way to get you back to your world, you’re stuck here. You might as well get used to the way things are. You get stuck here, we’ll have to register you and that means testing. If you fail, you get taken away to a retraining facility and I highly doubt you want that. You’ll be eaten alive and spat back out as nothing more than a broken shell. I’ve seen it happen.” He held a piece of the sandwich to her lips.

“Are you seriously hand feeding me?” Aria glared at him. This was about a million different kinds of fucked up. She kept her lips firmly closed, turning her head away. She couldn’t go anywhere; he still held her arm in his hand.

“Yes, now eat. You need your strength.” He returned the glare. He didn’t press the food, but held it where it was. She had to admit, she thought he’d be forcing it down her throat. “Just eat the damn sandwich.”

She wanted to fight, to say no and turn away again like an insolent, petulant child, but her stomach was starting to get angry. With a defeated sigh, she parted her lips and took the offered morsel. She chewed, swallowed and glared at him defiantly as she did so. He hadn’t won, she insisted to herself, he just hadn’t lost. She continued to eat as he offered it to her, but he was deliberately taking his time. She caught herself growling at him in irritation, but it did nothing to speed him along. By the time he touched the last bite to her lips, she was ready to bite off his fingers. She settled for nipping at them sharply, grinning smugly at his resultant growl. He thrust the plate towards her.

“Now take this to the kitchen. Feel free to do the rest of the dishes while you're in there”

She snorted as she stood, trying to shake feeling back into her legs. “I don’t clean what I didn’t dirty, sweetheart.”

She made her way to the kitchen, washed the plate she’d used and glanced at the remaining dishes. There weren’t many, and not that she’d admit it, but she had always found doing the dishes relaxing. It gave her a chance to think without having to focus too much on her task. Mentally flipping the alpha off, Aria cleared the sink and stoppered it. She turned the tap on, letting the scalding water fill as she added in the soap. She made quick work of putting away what was already clean in the dish rack, then set to work on the dirty ones.

She finished quickly and drained the sink. When she glanced around, she realized just how dingy the modest kitchen was. That just wouldn’t do with so many people living there. With a scowl, she began searching through cabinets and the hall storage for cleaning supplies. As an afterthought she slid the pocket doors leading from the kitchen to the living room shut and flipped the latch. It would be nice to be left alone for a bit. At least Dean wouldn’t pester her if she was busy cleaning.

Twenty minutes later found her on her hands and knees viciously scrubbing at the old tiles. It wouldn’t be perfect, but it would be better. She stood and wiped at her brow with the back of her hand. She dry mopped the floor to remove the residual grime before actually mopping it. Once the floors were dry, she set to work on the cabinets and countertops. She scrubbed everything she could reach until her bucket of boiled water cooled or was too filthy to continue using. She was on her fifth bucket by the time she was done. The kitchen was nearly spotless, the counters neat and organized, the cabinets much the same. She’d even tidied up the refrigerator and the hall closet while she’d waited on various things to dry or soak.

A sharp knock sounded at the pocket doors and she jumped. She’d been in her own world again, lost in her thoughts, or rather a blissful lack thereof, and had lost sight of how long she’d been in the kitchen. She unlocked the doors and pushed them back to find Sam looming over her with an amused and somewhat impressed look on his face.

“Nice job. No wonder you’ve been in here so long.” His hand patted her gently on the shoulder and she wanted to preen at the praise. She bit it back, though.

“Didn’t do it for you. Cleaning helps me think. Plus, it was filthy.” She sniffed and walked away. She stepped over a sleeping Max and smiled at the sight of Renee talking to Samandriel in hushed tones off to the side. The young woman was blushing, but so was the somewhat confused angel. It was just so cute. She turned to look down at Castiel as he sat in a chair, a book open in his hands.

“Got enough to report back to the great and powerful Michael, yet?” she snipped. He turned to her, his blue eyes squinted in a mix of confusion and irritation. He stood, apparently unsettled by the fact that an omega had dared to stand over him, and looked her over.

“The other omega, where is he?”

“Xander is upstairs with Gabriel, suffering in his own personal hell as his entire body betrays him and turns him into biology’s bitch.” She was so over this.

“Aria!” Christine admonished. Apparently she was over Aria’s attitude. Castiel, thankfully, kept his detached composure and moved up the stairs. Aria followed quickly, not liking the idea of an alpha (even if it was Castiel) being in the room with her sick baby. She was on his heels, pushing past him to the bed as they entered the room, and partially shielding the young man from the angel’s intense gaze.

“I am not here to harm him. I simply wish to assess his state.” His voice had changed, dropped an octave more if that were even possible. His nostrils flared and his blue eyes ringed in red.

‘Wow. It’s not me, and I’m sure it isn’t Gabriel, so it must be…’ she thought as she turned to look at the blond on the bed. He was curled around Gabriel now, his head pillowed on the omega’s chest and his arms hugging at his own midsection.

“It’s like an entire lifetime of growing pains all at once.” Gabriel explained. “He’ll be fully omega by tomorrow afternoon. He’s strong, and young. He’ll bounce back pretty quick.”

“They’re not a threat, Cas. You can tell Michael that. With any luck, he’ll leave them alone.” Gabriel was pouting as he carded his fingers through Xander’s hair. Cas nodded, but didn’t move. Maybe he was using Angel Radio. She bit back another yawn as she sat on the bed behind Xander, her hand moving to rub soothing circles over his lower back.

“He needs-” Cas began, but Gabriel cut him off, golden eyes burning with fire.

“No. Absolutely not. Get out.” He tightened his protective hold on the boy.

“What’s Cas talking about? What is it? Will it help him?” She was suddenly wide awake and looking between them. Anything to ease his pain was a valid option. Well, almost anything.

“Little Cassie here’s thinking with his hind brain. I said no. Just leave it.” Gabriel turned his glare on her, and it was terrifying. She swallowed hard.

“He is in need of an alpha. The proximity of an alpha would better aid him in his healing processes. The presence of alpha pheromones would ease his discomfort and make him-”

“You just want to drug him on your scent and get him high. His body will crave it, crave you, and all he’d have to do is say please. It’s daterape, Cas, and if you think for a second I’m going to let you anywhere near him in this state, you can just take your fluffy ass straight to Hell,” Gabriel growled, long and low. Cas swallowed at the lump in his throat and nodded. It seemed to take every ounce of willpower the angel had to turn around and walk away, and she was certain she’d heard a soft whine come from his direction as he closed the door behind him.

“Damn. All alphas like that?” She asked as she toed off her shoes and crawled onto the bed to wrap around Xander from behind. If contact helped, she could hardly deny it.

“Most, but not all. Not Sammy.” She could hear the wistful notes in his tone and it made her grin. She tucked that little bit of information away in her mind to share with Christine in the morning. Now though, she wanted to sleep. She pulled the covers up around all three of them and let her head fall to rest on Gabriel’s shoulder as Xander rolled over and nuzzled against her chest. She would have laughed if it hadn’t been so heart wrenching. Tear tracks glistened on his cheeks as his face contorted in pain once more. She held him close, sandwiched between herself and the archangel, and whispered soft words of encouragement and comfort in his ear until she succumbed to sleep and let it drag her down as well.


	4. Chapter 4

 

Aria groaned as something jabbed her in the ribs. She swatted at the offending object and received a giggle for her efforts. She cracked one eye open and looked down at the somewhat better Xander still snuggled against her side. She didn’t know what time it was, didn’t really care to be honest. “G’ ba’ta’seep….”

“Been asleep for over a day.” He poked her again, right between two ribs. “Wanna get up.”

He was absolutely adorable the way he was pouting at her. She was tempted to just roll over and bury her face in the pillow just to hear him whine. It was adorable, and she was truly happy that he seemed to be feeling better.

“If you tickle her, she’ll get up.” Gabriel’s voice sounded from the other side of Xander.

“D’n encrg’hm.” She grumbled, swatting at his hand again.

“Fine.” The angel gave an overly dramatic sigh. Not that it much mattered. Xander already had the idea in his brain. With a very loud squeal, Aria bolted up, trying to dance away from the incessant barrage of fingertips. Not wanting to be left out, Gabriel joined in on the attack, grabbing her feet and tickling her arches. She tried to kick out of his grasp, but he was awake, and stronger.

“Stop!” She screeched, trying to get away. It was all in vain. Both men were stronger than she was and it just wasn’t fair. “Help!”

“No one can save you!” Gabriel cried with the worst evil laugh she had ever heard. “I have you at my mercy!”

“No! Please!” She was panting now, laughing so hard she was crying. “Help me!”

The door burst open a moment later, a disheveled Christine scurrying inside followed by Dean, Sam, and Bobby. Cas lingered at the doorway, still wary of Gabriel’s wrath.

“Don’t just stand there!” The pinned woman cried. “Help me, damnit!”

She squeaked and laughed loudly again as the assault continued unabated. The alphas, sensing no real threat, relaxed and exchanged looks of concern.

“Please! I can’t-can’t breath! They’re killing me!” She wailed, her words breaking apart as another peal of laughter erupted from her.

“Alright. Cut it out.” Sam sighed, walking over to the bed. He picked Gabriel up with no effort and sat him on his feet. Aria took the chance and rolled away from Xander and his evil fingers. Straight onto the floor.

“Ow.”

Xander peaked over the edge of the bed at her. “Can we get up now? I’m hungry.”

“Yeah. Sure. Help an old lady up.” She groaned as she pushed herself to her elbows, ignoring the pointed glare the other omega shot her. “And don’t you dare sa-”

“You’renotold.” He said in a rush.

Aria poked her tongue out at him as he clambered off of the bed and helped her to her feet. The alphas walked out first, the omegas a step behind. She tried to tell herself it had nothing to do with pecking order and everything to do with the fact that the alphas had been blocking the door anyways, they might as well have gone first.

“You both need showers.” Dean groused as he hit the stairs. “Get washed up before breakfast.”

Aria stopped short, glaring at the back of his head.

“Get washed up before breakfast.” She mocked, rolling her eyes and shooting a grin at Xander. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along behind her. He could shower first.

“What about clothes?” Xander asked as she shoved him through the bathroom door.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of everything.” She winked at him. She turned around to find Gabriel behind her, a smile on his lips and in his eyes.

“You wanna use some of that magic and help me out?” She asked in a conspiratory whisper, to which he nodded enthusiastically and his grin widened. “Great. I need clothes, for all of us, and a few other things.”

“I’m listening.” He wagged his brow.

Not long after, she had several piles of clothes, five to be exact, spread over the bed. She sat her’s and Xander’s to one side, Christine’ to the other, and left Renee’s and Max’s in the middle. She folded everything and sat it to the side. She carried a change of clothes down the hall and left them just inside the bathroom door for Xander, then returned to the room. Gabriel was finishing up the task she had assigned him and that gave her a moment to herself. Which was nice. Until it wasn’t.

Her thoughts began to wander to the worst case scenario. What if they couldn’t get home? What if this twisted world was home now? What if she didn’t pass the damn test? She was stubborn, sure, but if retraining centers were half as bad as the ones in the stories she had read over the years, then it was no better than a concentration camp for omegas. She shuddered in revulsion.

“You okay?” Xander’s voice floated through the fog of her mind. She blinked, shook her head, and turned to look at him. He definitely looked better now. He was slightly flushed, but she assumed that was from the heat of the water and not from fever. His blond hair was still damp, and he’d dressed in the clothes she’d placed in the bathroom. All the fabrics of both their new wardrobes were supple and soft. Gabe had insisted on it, actually. Apparently normal fabrics would all feel much too rough against their now much more sensitive skin. Xander had been given brown linen pants and a loose, dark green tee, and they looked good on him.

“I’m fine. Just caught in my head.” She shrugged a bit. “I’m gonna go get a shower. Why don’t you head on downstairs and join the others? I’ll only be a few minutes.”

She grabbed a change of her own clothes and moved past him and down the hall. It occurred to her that she hadn’t bathed in almost two days and she cringed. She must smell absolutely awful. Suddenly she wasn’t so hurt by Dean’s insistence that she bathe before going downstairs. She turned the water on, stripped, and stepped inside. She couldn’t help but sigh at the feeling of the near scalding water easing away the tension in her stressed body. Aria rolled her shoulders and dunked her head back beneath the spray. She grabbed the shampoo and sniffed it. It wasn’t awful, but it was much more masculine than anything she would normally use. She’d have to go shopping eventually, she supposed. Especially if they were going to be stuck there for a while.

She bathed and stepped out reluctantly, drying off on a soft, fluffy towel before slipping into her new ‘omega wear.’ It wasn’t so bad, really. The underwear was ridiculously, and damn near sinfully, soft. The bra was much the same. Even better, it fucking fit. That was a feat in and of itself. She might just have to keep Gabriel around.

She slipped a pair of black leggings on, then a pair of denim shorts that cut off an inch above her knees. She’d never cared for slutty clothes, and thank Chuck, Gabriel seemed to understand that. She tugged on a soft black and green raglan and towel-dried her short sandy hair. Her fingers combed through it, laying down the back and sides, then spiking the top in her usual faux-hawk style. Aria gave herself a critical look in the mirror before shrugging and slipping out of the bathroom and down the stairs.

She entered the kitchen to find a rather odd scene laid out before her. Renee and Max were sitting on the sofa in the living room, Samandriel perched on arm nearest Renee. Both had bowls of cereal in hand, happily munching away as they chatted, presumably about their research. Christine was seated next to Sam at the table, Gabriel kneeling happily between their chairs with the stick of a lollipop in his mouth.

‘Well, that didn’t take long.’ She doubted anything had happened. They’d only been there a day and a half. Unconsciously though, they seemed to be drifting towards each other. One was never too far from the other. Xander was what surprised her. He was happily perched on Dean’s lap as the hunter fed him his cereal. It was cute, if a little odd. She raised a brow and shook her head, moving towards the fridge.

“Already fixed you a bowl.” Dean said sharply, not bothering to look up at her. “Cas can feed you.”

She wasn’t hungry anymore. “Pass. Just getting a bottle of water. I’m allowed to drink my own water, right? I don’t need an alpha to feed it to me from a dropper, do I?”

She couldn’t help the snide remark as she grabbed a bottle from the fridge and cracked the lid.

“It can be arranged.” He growled back.

“I’d love to see you try, cupcake.” She winked at him. Even Cas growled at her for that. She struggled against the urge to cower, covering her momentary pause with a shrug. She traipsed back into the living room, grabbing a book off of one of the many stacks and plopped down in a chair.

“Off.” Dean commanded. What the hell? He couldn’t even see her. She didn’t move. “Now.”

Aria pretended not to hear him. Chuck, but he was so easy to rile up. It was almost like a game. That was it, it would be her new favorite past time. She would see just how far she could push the alpha before he snapped. So far, his threshold was very limited. She jumped a bit when a hand fell on her shoulder. It was Cas, his blue eyes blazing down at her. Damn.

“I will ask you one time to remove yourself from the chair. I will not ask a second time.” His stern voice gave her mixed feelings. On one hand, it was incredibly sexy. Swoon worthy, even. On the other, it was incredibly terrifying. She could just imagine his wings, held high in a show of dominance and power, shimmering glossy black in the shafts of sunlight that filtered in through the blinds on the dingy windows. She didn’t bother to fight the urge to cower this time.

Aria ducked her head, a pout on her lips as she slid off the chair and onto the floor. Her shoulders slumped slightly. “Jerks.”

“I will ignore your attempt to incite my annoyance, but know that I will not be so passive if you choose to repeat this action.” He sat in the chair she had recently vacated, his trench coat ruffling about his legs.

“Yeah, whatever.” She glowered and turned her eyes towards the others. “What did you guys find?”

“Nothing we didn’t have last night. No references to the ritual Balthazar performed, no similar rituals, no rituals with an even remotely similar purpose.” Max said with a look of mild annoyance and a shrug as she ate.

“There’s plenty of books on alphas and omegas, not many on betas but I guess we’re pretty simple.” Renee chimed in. Betas didn’t need special clothes or items. They didn’t have to worry about things like heats and ruts, pheromones and mating. They got to be normal. Any other time, Aria would balk at the idea of being normal. Now, she’d jump at the chance.

“Found this, too. Thought you and Xander might want to read it over.” She grimaced as she nudged a book across the floor with one toe. “Dean said if we get stuck, you guys have to get registered and pass a test. This book is supposed to help you with that.”

Aria looked down at the book and scoffed. “How to Train Your Unruly New Bitch. Really? You expect me to read this? Even worse, I’m expected to follow it? Nope.”

She flung the book away, satisfied when the offensive tome landed across the room with a solid ‘thud.’

“It’s not a great title, but it lays everything out for you. Testing standards, training tips...I know you don’t like it, Aria, but…” Renee broke off, looking down into her empty bowl.

“I appreciate the effort, Renee, and I get that you’re trying to help, but the idea of even opening that book makes me sick. I’m not a goddamned dog, and if I hear or see one more thing that refers to me, or Xander, or Gabriel for that matter, as one or less than one, I’m going to go postal and destroy the fucking world.” She said through gritted teeth, her grip on her water bottle tightening.

“Sorry.” Renee muttered.

“Don’t-” Aria sighed and pushed herself to her feet. She crossed the small space and pulled Renee into a bone crushing hug. “You don’t have to apologize. I’m not mad at you. I’m sorry for snapping.”

“It’s okay,” Renee wrapped her arms around Aria’s midsection. “You’re frustrated. I don’t blame you. Just wish I could help.”

“Being here is helping. Hugs are helping. Hugs always help. Like coconut oil. Makes everything better.” Aria replied softly as another set of arms encircled them both. Max had joined in, not saying a word, but offering her a hug. Another second passed and two more sets of arms found their way around them.

“Wow. That’s creepy.” Dean piqued up from his seat at the table.

“Shut up, squirrel.” Aria grumbled from her place at the center of the group. “No one asked for your opinion.”

“Guys…” Renee’s voice was small and muffled as her face was pressed against Aria’s shoulder.

“Yeah?”

“I can’t breathe.”

Everyone pulled back, laughing and smiling sheepishly. Aria and Xander sat on the floor by the sofa as the others took their seats on the various chairs and sofas available. As she pulled Xander back against her, carding her fingers through his hair, she felt another form sit behind her, pulling them both in close. Spun sugar and fresh rain calmed her as she snuggled back into Gabriel’s embrace.

“You guys are so cute.” Max grinned at their little snuggle pile.

“Omegas crave touch and comfort. They seek it out and thrive under it. It’s normal for omegas that live together to spend most of their time curled up together in their nests.” Sam said matter-of-factly as he looked fondly at Gabriel. There was obviously something going on between the two, and Aria hoped that it wouldn’t harm Trick’s chances of joining in.

“That’s my smart little Samsquatch.” Gabriel grinned.

“We don’t have a nest.” Xander said softly, looking over his shoulder at the other two omegas. “Why don’t we have a nest?”

“We’ve been here a day, hun. We haven’t exactly had time to put one together. I tell ya what, if we can go shopping, we can get everything we need to make the best damn nest in the world.” Aria said with a chuckle. The way his eyes lit up made her whole day better. He turned to look at everyone else.

“Can we? Please?” He was practically bouncing now. Sam, Dean, and Bobby shared a look before looking critically over the omegas.

“Please?” Gabriel said with a pout. “We’ll even behave.”

“I never agreed to that.” Aria interjected. She conceded the point when Xander’s face began to fall. “Fine. I’ll be good.”

“Yay!” Xander’s grin returned.

“Yeah, why not?” Dean sighed. “Sam, you and Cas take them into town. Pick up everything they might need while you’re there. Don’t want them getting used to going for rides.”

A snarl left her lips before she could stop it. “For the last time! We. Are. Not. Dogs! Sweet Chuck, I could kick you in the balls and not even feel remotely sorry for it. You are such an arrogant dick. I’m starting to wonder how I ever liked your character at all!”

She didn’t remember standing, or putting her hands on her hips, or taking a step towards him. All she could see was red. It took her a moment to realize that the red was, in fact, the alpha’s eyes. Several sets of them, actually. Her chest heaved as she glared at him.

“Sam, take Gabriel and Xander to town. Cas, go with him.” Dean didn’t wait for anyone to agree before grasping her by the arm and jerking her towards the basement door. “We’ll be in the bunker, learning a lesson.”

She pulled back, digging her heels into the floorboards. She wrapped her fingers around his, trying to pry them off, but he was a lot stronger than she was. She pulled back hard on her arm, wincing at the pain that flared through her shoulder.

“Keep it up. You'll just dislocate it. I won’t be gentle in popping it back in, either.”

As a last ditch effort she kicked out at the back of his knee. He hadn’t been prepared for that, and when he stumbled, his grip loosened just enough for her to slip free. She bolted back towards the group, hiding behind Christine. Well, trying to anyways. He wasn’t stopping as he came towards her, and she didn’t want Christine getting caught in the middle, so she jumped back over the coffee table and made a wide circle around him. She was almost to the front door when he caught her, his forearm locking around her neck like a poisonous snake and pressing against her airway.

She clawed at his arm, but he didn’t even seem to notice.

“Dean.” Sam’s voice broke through the haze of primal fear that was flooding through her. The edges of her vision were starting to go dark and fuzzy. “Put her down, Dean.”

“I told you to go.” Came the snarled response from somewhere above her head.

“Dean.” It was more insistent this time.

“Sammy. Go.”

“Dean!”

She didn’t remember much after that. Just the feeling of the hard floor rushing up to meet her before her world went black. When she came to, her vision was blurry and the voices in her head were muffled. Her head hurt and her throat was sore. It took her a minute to remember how she’d ended up on the floor. When she did, she bolted up, jerking away from the hands that reached for her. Her eyes caught red and she flinched, stumbling backwards and out of the circle of panicked people. She scurried back, never taking her eyes off of Dean who was glaring down at her with his red alpha eyes. She didn’t stop until she hit something solid.

She glanced back. A leg. Two legs. A new scent. This one smelled safe, protective, strong. She didn’t look any farther up. She curled around one leg, hiding her face against it as she clenched her eyes shut. A shuffle of feet moving towards her. She flinched again, jerking back. She moved to her knees, scuttling around behind the new comer, using them as a shield. His pants were rough against her skin as she nuzzled at his thigh, silently begging him to keep her safe, to keep him away from her.

“It’s a good thing I didn’t believe you, little brother. Things aren’t going as well as you said.” She knew that voice, but she couldn’t place it at the moment. The scents of alpha rage, omega distress, and pure fear left her feeling dizzy. A hand brushed against the top of her head and she quivered, her pulse quickening.

“It’s alright, little one. I won’t hurt you.” He seemed to be producing calming pheromones and they were overpowering the other scents in the room. She felt a hand beneath her chin as the figure stepped away from her. She kept her eyes shut tight as he forced her to stand slowly. “Open your eyes.”

She cracked her eyes open, but kept them trained on the floor. She heard a snarl and a growl from somewhere off to the side and whimpered, her eyes shutting tight again.

“Open your eyes.” Soft lips brushed against her cheek. “They can’t hurt you.”

She felt warm and safe again and ever so slowly, she opened her eyes.

“Look at me.” He urged, and she couldn’t do anything more than comply. She swallowed, pulling in a sharp intake of breath. Fuck. Michael. Why the hell did he smell so good? More importantly, why was he being so nice? Michael was a dick, everyone knew that.

“There we are. What on Earth could you have done to incite such a wrath, hm?” His voice washed over her as he arched one perfect brow.

“She’s an ungrateful bitch, for starters.” Dean growled from behind him and a whimper fell from her lips.

“You’re the one Castiel mentioned, then? The omega that wasn’t so happy about being omega.”

She nodded.

“You’ll have to accept it, I’m afraid. Balthazar, coward that he is, lied to you all. There is no way of getting you back to your universe.” Her entire world crumbled around her. Stuck. They were fucking stuck here. She was stuck here, like this, with people like Dean fucking Winchester. Her day honestly couldn’t get any worse, could it? A moment too late, she hoped that that wouldn’t come back to bite her in the ass. She shook her head.

“No?” He laughed softly. “No, you don’t have to accept it or no, you don’t believe me?”

“Can’t-”She broke off. Her throat was hurting something awful and her voice was raspy. “I can’t do this.”

“You can, too!”

“You sure as hell can!”

“You got this, Aria.”

“If I can do it, so can you.”

She cut her eyes to look over his shoulder at her friends. “No...I can’t. I just...I can’t.”

“Why not? If you weren’t meant for it, you wouldn’t have turned. You’re stronger than you think.” Michael said matter-of-factly.

“Why are you being nice? It’s creepy as fuck.”

Michael’s eyes narrowed and he tsked her. “Castiel mentioned you have a penchant for such foul language.”

“Didn’t answer my question.” She said pointedly. He continued to glare down at her, his blue eyes turning cold and hard. He seemed to be biting at the inside of his cheek and for once she actually did cower a bit. Her previous state of panic was beginning to wane and her irritation over everything that was happening was beginning to return full force.

Aria pulled away from Michael, shaking her head to clear it. She took a step back, then another until there were at least five feet of space between them. Her gaze turned to Dean. His eyes were still red and his lips were still set in a snarl. Her own eyes narrowed as she glared at him.

“You…” Panic was giving way to rage. “What the fuck were you planning on doing to me? Huh? You sick, twisted, arrogant son of a bitch!”

Her voice grew louder the longer she talked until she was full out yelling at him. She had every intention of charging the alpha but a strong arm caught her around the middle as she pushed past the archangel, and she was forced to stop short. She struggled against Michael’s grasp but it was immoveable. She turned her glare on him, a growl bubbling from her lips. He laughed. She slumped, her wrath momentarily forgotten, and glared at him.

“That’s cute.” He smirked.

“Don’t call me cute.” She bit out.

“Let her go!” Max demanded from behind them. “I wanna watch her kick his ass. I know she can.”

“I’ll take care of it for you, Aria.” Christine’ sneered darkly, red beginning to bleed into her brown iris’.

“Let me help.”A dark glint sparkled to life in Max’s green eyes. Ah, but Aria loved a fiery redhead. She had to wonder when or if Charlie might show up. That would certainly make things interesting. More so than they already were. She watched, more than a little satisfied as both women advanced towards the larger alpha. Much more and he’d be backed into the corner.

“Hey Christine…” She called sweetly, drawing the brunette's attention.

“Yeah, baby?” She looked at her over her shoulder.

“Thirty seconds, lovebug.” She chuckled darkly as she tested Michael’s grip again. He still held her firm. She glanced at him to see a look of confusion pass over his face. It was mirrored by most of the occupants in the room.

Christine’ grinned widely and wagged her brow.

The ensuing fight was amusing but much too short lived for Aria’s liking. Christine and Max both landed a few solid hits with Christine also taking a solid hit to the gut. She seemed to shake it off well enough, and repaid Dean with a very nicely executed combo. As an omega, she wouldn’t have been able to inflict the pain she wished for him to endure, but there was nothing saying that another alpha, or even a beta, couldn’t.

Cas and Sam ended up pulling the three apart, forcing Dean to back away. All three had cuts, either above their eyes, over their lips, or in Christine’ case, the bridge of her nose. She was smiling as blood poured over her lips and chin, looking every bit the feral animal with her teeth stained red. Max was sporting a nice busted lip, and it was already starting to swell, but overall, the hunter looked much worse. His nose was obviously broken, his left eye already starting to swell and darken, and his face was more blood than skin at the moment. His eyes were once more their usual emerald shade and his form was beginning to falter. He slumped back against the hallway wall, a hand to his jaw where Christine’ had landed the last blow.

“That’s enough.” Sam growled, raising to his full height and bearing down on the others. “He’s down. Let it go.”

Christine’ tried to get in another blow, but Sam just pulled her farther away. She could compete with his strength, but not his height.

“Next time you knotheads wanna brawl, do it outside. This whole damn place smells like pissed off alpha.” Bobby grumbled as he threw open several of the living room windows in hopes of airing the place out.

“Sorry.” Christine’ muttered sheepishly.

“Yeah, I bet you are.” He rolled his eyes. “Didn’t you all have things to do? Get the hell out of my house until you can control yourselves.”

In watching the fight, Aria had forgotten that she was still encased in Michael’s arms. She glanced about, biting her lip and trying to look innocent, like she hadn’t just incited a lynching.  
She felt rather than heard his growl of disapproval.

“You are a handful, aren’t you? No wonder Winchester was angry. I can only wonder what would come out of your mouth to set him off.” His lips brushed against her ear and she shivered. She couldn’t help that her ears were sensitive. Every inch of her skin was sensitive now. Because she was only hypersensitive in her own universe, why not ramp that up a bit? She resolved that Fate was cruel and had something against her.

“I may have gotten a bit angry, and I may or may not have called him several very colorful, very imaginative names.” She wasn’t sorry for it. She’d do it again in a heartbeat. She’s just have to remember to run faster next time. He couldn’t punish what he couldn’t catch, after all.

“If you wish to have any hope of remaining here, with the people you care about, you’re going to want to break that habit.” He informed her. “After retraining comes rehoming. You could go to anyone. Is that what you want?”

That was when the seriousness of the situation actually hit her. She could be taken away and there wasn’t a damn thing anyone could do to stop it. She tried to swallow down the whimper that bubbled up in her chest but it slipped out anyways.

“Then stop trying to act like an alpha and start acting like an omega.” He was much calmer in explaining this to her than Dean had been. She wondered that, if Dean had tried a more subtle approach to the whole ordeal, maybe things wouldn’t be so bad between them, and maybe she wouldn’t feel the need to constantly point out just how much of an unfair ass he was. Maybe then her arm wouldn’t hurt every time she moved it, and just maybe her throat wouldn’t ache with every breath or word.

“It’s obvious that none of these poor excuses for alphas can handle you. While I’m sure, given the proper motivation Castiel would have you somewhat trained before long, he seems to have his eye on another omega.” She followed his gaze to see Cas with his hand carding through the hair of a still rather shaken Xander. She didn’t bother fighting the small smile that tugged at her lips.

“Looks like you’re going to be my responsibility, then.” He said with a heavy sigh. “Because I don’t have enough to do as it is.”

Wait. That meant...fuck.

“You’re...staying? Here?” She asked quietly, dreading the answer. With someone like him around, she wouldn’t be able to have any fun. He nodded.

“Damn.” She grumbled. She didn’t expect the swift, or rather hard, swat to her backside to be the result. She yelped loudly and tried to squirm away. He landed another smack.

“We’ll start with that mouth of yours.” He gave a growl in warning. When she didn’t stop struggling, he landed a third, then a fourth hit.

“Ow! Stop! Shit! Spanking is supposed to be kinky at my age. This is not kinky!”

He simply shrugged and swatted her a fifth time. “When you learn to control your tongue, we’ll move on to that. Until then, it’s a punishment.”

“Are you seriously flirting with me? Like, right now? That’s messed up.” Another swat. She looked at the others for help, but they were all watching her with looks of amusement and only mild sympathy. Yeah, okay, she was doing this to herself. All she had to do was break. Well...nope. She wasn’t going to make it easy on him. If he wanted an unruly, willful omega to train, she’d be happy to oblige. She directed her next words at the group watching them.

“I hate you all right now.” She deadpanned, glaring at them halfheartedly. Another swat had her biting at her cheek to keep quiet.

“Ow.” Smack.

“Stop.” Smack.

“Seriously.” Smack.

It was seriously beginning to hurt now. She thought about caving, but this was getting fun. She looked back at him, but his face was a mask of cold stone. This wasn’t affecting him at all. Bastard. On a whim, and maybe just to get a rise out of him, she wiggled her backside a bit, bumping it back against his hand. He growled and narrowed his eyes, his head tilting slightly to the side.

“You really are going to be fun to break.” He gave a final swat, much harder than the others, and let her go. She stepped away from him, rubbing her aching backside and glaring at him. She was tempted to just stick her tongue out and get it over with, but maybe acting like a child wasn’t the wisest thing she could do at the moment. She started to call him an ass, but her own was stinging sharply, reminding her that that wouldn’t be smart either. She bit her tongue and walked away from him.

She wrapped herself around Gabriel without saying a word, glaring at Michael from her place in his arms. The damn trickster was laughing at her. She jabbed him in the side a bit harder than she intended.

“Not helping.”

“Not sorry. That was funny.”

“Jerk. Can we go shopping now?” She really wanted to get away from all the overwhelming testosterone in the air.

“I don’t see why not. We have a nest to build after all.” He pulled away from her and looked over to Xander. “You still coming with us, or would you rather just snuggle up with Cassie and play house?”

Xander squeaked and blushed, hiding his face against Cas’s chest. Aria slapped the angel upside the back of the head for him, earning herself a glare from him and a soft growl from both Christine and Sam. Well that was interesting.

“Let’s goooooo,” she pouted, bouncing from foot to foot.

“I’m not the one you need to be asking, sugarcube.” Gabriel turned her around to face the alphas. She whined. She was done talking to alphas for the day. She wanted snuggles. Her eyes fell on Christine and she grinned, earning her a smack on her sore backside from Gabriel. She turned back to glare at him, but he was smiling brightly and she knew it wouldn’t phase him. This time she did poke her tongue out at him.

She moved over to Christine, wrapping her arms around the smaller alpha and nuzzling against her cheek. “Christine……”

“Aria…..”

“Don’t make me beg.”

“I kinda feel like I should, buuuuut...I won’t. I’m fine with it.”

“Yay! Let’s go! Come on, Xander. Bring your life-sized Cas plush along, too.” She giggled as she ran up the stairs to find her shoes. She grabbed Xander’s, too, and hurried back down the stairs. She bounced, jumping off the second to last step.

She tossed Xander’s shoes in his direction and tried to balance on one foot to finish tying her Converse. She really should have known better. Her balance faltered quickly and she fell back, landing with a whine on her backside. She huffed, shooting a glare at the archangel responsible for the pain, and aggressively tied her shoes.

“Can we come, too?” Renee asked. She’d been fairly quiet throughout the previous event and Aria was beginning to wonder if she’d just left all together. She looked at Christine with the best puppy eyes she could manage. Christine sighed, looking every bit the annoyed mother.

“Sure.”

There was a flurry of activity as everyone scrambled about to get ready, either finding a missing shoe or hunting for a cellphone. Sam was cleaning Christine’ face up with a damp cloth while Renee was doing the same for Max. Dean had disappeared and Aria didn’t care to know where to. Xander was standing beside Cas, waiting patiently. He seemed happy, and Castiel looked slightly less grumpy, so she counted that as a win. At least her friends were getting something good out of this whole ordeal.

She pushed herself to her feet, nearly tripping over herself in the process, but a strong hand caught her beneath one arm and hoisted her upright. She knew by the scent that it was Michael, and she brushed him off. She tried not to analyse his scent too much, but she just couldn’t help it. He smelled, well, good. The usual scent of ozone was there, but it was overpowered by the smells of leather, hot steel and oddly enough, lavender.

‘Don’t you dare start drooling. You’ve smelled better.’ she told herself.

“Alright. Come on...let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” Aria was bouncing again. A firm hand on her shoulder stopped all movement, pressing her heels into the floor.

“We’ll work on you patience next, little one.” Hot breath ghosted over her cheek. Ugh! Why did he have to do that? Say things in that voice, with those eyes, and that scent? It shouldn’t have been legal. She was better than that, though, and she pulled away from him as nonchalantly as she could manage.

“How are we gonna get there? We won’t all fit in the Impala.” Max said as she moved towards Xander and Cas.

“Hmm…”Christine began. “Well, Sam, Gabe, Max, Renee, and I can take the Impala. Or...Max, you go with Aria, Xander, and Cas. You guys can take...another car? I’m sure there’s one here somewhere. I don’t know if they’ll let omega’s drive. Samandriel, you can come with us if you like.”

Aria’s heart fell a bit more. She loved to drive. Damnit. This just got worse and worse. She nodded anyways.

“Don’t worry, little one, I’ll keep you company.” He was behind her again. Gah, that was getting creepy. Shouldn’t he make noise when he moved? Maybe she’d put a bell on him. Wouldn’t that be nice. He’d probably put one on her well before she could sneak one on him, though.

She scowled. “Creeper.”

She wasn’t expecting a chorus of hisses to follow, or the sound of several mimed explosions, but when it happened she found she couldn’t stop laughing.

“Screw you guys.” she said between gasps as she tried to remember how to breathe.

“Enough wasting time. Get out of my damn house before I kick you all out. Don’t come back ‘til you’re exhausted and quiet.” Bobby pointed towards the door. “And take my car. Back’ll be a bit cramped, but town’s not far.”

He handed his keys to Max and waved her away.

~*~~*~

Town wasn’t far, it turned out, but riding in the back seat of an old SS Camaro, while bad enough on it’s own, was uncomfortable as hell when forced to sit in the lap of a rather handsy archangel. He didn’t even ask, and when she told him to stop, he just chuckled and continued petting her. Petting was the wrong word. He kept running the tips of his fingers over the back of her neck. It was incredibly frustrating for the simple fact that it made her want to curl up in his lap and purr like a cat in sunlight.

When they finally pulled into a space next to the Impala (she had no idea where they were or what they were going to get there) she was the first one out of the car and on the other side of the parking lot from the irritating man. The more distance the better.

She pulled in deep breaths of fresh air, trying to purge his scent from her nostrils. It didn’t really help much. She looked up at the store front. ‘Pier 1. Nice choice, Christine.’ She waited patiently by the entrance for the others to join her, absently reading over the stickers, promos, and postings on the front windows. She was more than a little miffed by the sign that indicated ‘Omegas Must Be Leashed At All Times. Any Damage to Displays or Merchandise Will Be the Sole Responsibility of the Alpha.’

She started to growl but it was cut short by the sudden feeling of a weight around her neck and a swift tug backwards. She yelped instead, her hands flying up to her neck. Collar. Fuck. Her fingers danced over the chain that was clipped to the front ring. Leash. Damnit. Another tug and she was glaring at Michael over her shoulder.

“How ‘bout a warning next time, jackass?” Another swift tug had her yelping again.

“Can’t you just accept things? Would it really be so bad to let go and stop fighting it?” He grumbled.

“No.” She snapped. “And yes. A thousand times, yes.”

“Someday, and someday soon, you’ll change your mind. Until then,” he entered the store, giving her no choice but to follow a step behind. She looked over to see Xander and Gabriel, both in similar positions, but neither seemed incredibly upset by it. Gabriel, his leash around Sam’s wrist, was smiling brightly as if it was where he was always meant to be. Xander was the picture of obedience and quiet acceptance, his leash in Castiel’s hand.

Her fingers danced over the collar at her throat. It was hard, cold metal, but it was thin and narrow. She could feel a pattern of some sort but couldn't make out what it was. A small o-ring sat in the very middle front from which the leash, an equally dainty chain ending in a soft loop of leather currently in his hand, was hooked to.

“Don't think it's just a show piece. It may be small, but it's made of the strongest metal in the universe. I crafted it from a portion of my sword blade that was broken beyond repair. It will protect you, but it will also help me to keep track of you. I'll always know exactly where you are.” He wasn't even looking at her as he spoke.

She followed him inside, but pulled back as far as the leash would allow. She linked arms with Xander and let her head rest on his shoulder as the walked. The store had an entire section dedicated to nesting fare and it was the one place in the store where they were allowed to be free of their leashes. The three omegas wandered happily through the aisles, tossing in plush pillows, thick fuzzy blankets, super soft sheets and anything they thought they might like to have in their nest into their carts.

As they walked by, Aria paused to look at a plush animal on a shelf. She was leashed again, but it didn't register as she took in the sight of the vibrant, soft looking stuffed red fox. She had one just like it at home, and she was suddenly at the mercy of a gut wrenching bout of homesickness. She thought about everything she would lose, everything she would miss, her family and her friends. Her job, her education. It was all gone now.

“What's the matter, little one? Find something you like?” Michael's hands fell upon her shoulders as she reached out for the toy. He swatted her hands down before picking up the fox and handing it to her. “There. Is that better?”

She nodded mutely and held the stuffed fox to her face, letting the soft fur brush against her cheek. She didn’t catch the sly smirk that pulled at his lips, or the way his eyes glinted in the florescent lighting. He tugged at the leash and she followed without thinking. She was still far too locked up in her own thoughts to notice much.

“Aw. It’s so cute!” Xander said with a smile, startling her back to reality. “Can I see?”

She wanted to say no, to growl and turn away, shielding the stuffed creature from sight, but she didn’t. Reluctantly she held it out a bit, biting back the whine that threatened to leave her as it was pulled from her fingers. She kept a close eye on the toy, ready to snatch it back if it seemed like something was about to happen. Nothing did, thought. Xander simply held it for a moment and handed it back, commenting that he hoped Cas would get him something of his own to snuggle with.

Aria pulled it back to her chest with a soft sigh, burying her nose in the soft fur between its ears and twisting the tip of its tail between her fingers. If it was all she could have of home, then she supposed she’d just have to cling to it as best she could. She didn’t even know they had checked out until they walked out of the store and into the blazing heat outside. Apparently summer was just as bad everywhere.

“Bobby said not to come back anytime soon, so...what should we do?” Renee asked, trying to hide her blush as Samandriel’s shoulder brushed against her own.

“Dunno. Is there an arcade or anything in the area? Laser tag, maybe?” Max shrugged.

“Ooohhh! Yes! Laser tag! I’d die for some laser tag!” Christine grinned, bouncing a bit.

“Or go-karts.” Aria said softly with a smile, her previous melancholy forgotten in the wake of her friend’s excitement.

“Yes!” Xander grinned, nodding enthusiastically.

“I think there is. Hang on, I’ll call Bobby and see if he knows of anything.” Sam said, stepping away and pulling out his cellphone.

Sam returned a few minutes later with a mixture of amusement, fear, and reluctant acceptance on his face. It was easy to tell that the idea of putting them all in a combat setting, giving them weapons (even if they were fake), and telling them to have at each other wasn’t one he relished. It was almost like he was imagining the ‘bloodshed’ that would take place.

“What’s the word, Samsquatch?” Gabriel purred from his spot against the hood of the Impala.

“Bobby says there’s one in town, but he doesn’t remember where or what it’s called.” He shrugged.

“Guess we’ll just have to wander till we find it.” Max smiled.

“Walk or cars?” Christine asked, jerking a thumb back at the two vehicles.

“Walking’s good.” Renee smiled. Samandriel remained silent to her left while Max nodded to her right.

“I’d be alright with either.” Xander shrugged, looking over to see what Cas would do or say.

“Let’s walk. I’m sick of being cooped up in small spaces.” Aria said, still hugging the plush to her chest. She’d leave it in the car, but until they decided what to do, it was staying with her. No one seemed to want to argue the point and so, after stowing their purchases in the cars, the unlikely group set off in search of the arcade.


	5. Chapter 5

 

The arcade was less of an arcade and more of a fun zone. The place was massive, with a food court, a large game floor, and several large outdoor areas. The laser tag arena took up enough space to fit two of Bobby’s house side by side. It was dark, with loud, intense music blaring from the sound system. Black lights and glow in the dark paint lit up the area and marked each team’s ‘flag.’ It was a sensor that had to be shot to be claimed.

The group was split into two teams, with a third team made up of other patrons.On one team were Sam, Christine, Gabriel, Cas, and Xander. On the other, Max, Aria, Michael, Renee, and Samandriel. There were no rules against omegas wandering free, so the leashes were removed. While both Gabriel and Xander were also freed of their collars, Aria was not so lucky. When she asked why, she was met with silence and a smirk.

‘Smug bastard. Just you wait.’ She thought as she tugged on her breastplate and pulled the straps tight. She fastened her shin plates and her gauntlets before unclipping her ‘rifle’ and testing its weight in her hands. She’d played with light guns and heavy guns alike, but there was something about that perfect one that seemed to balance just right in the middle. This was not one of those guns. It was a bit too light, meaning she would likely end up throwing it unintentionally at some point.

They were all lead to a doorway, then ushered inside as the music began to blast. The door was slammed shut and they were left to fend for themselves. First objective.

‘Blurp’

Michael’s breastplate lit up blue and he glared at her, even though he had no idea what was really going on.

“Sorry. It slipped.” She shrugged before taking off at a sprint to find their ‘flag’ and locate the ‘flags’ of the other two teams. It didn’t take her very long to find their ‘flag’ and she waited for the rest of her team to join her. Once they were all assembled around the sensor, she gave a wolfish grin.

“Samandriel, stay here and guard the flag. Anyone tries to take a shot, you shoot them. Got it?” She looked at him expectantly, pleased with his hesitant nod. She turned to look at the other three.

“Renee, you and Michael go for the red team’s flag. Max and I will take the green team. We’re winning this if it-”

‘Blurp’

‘Blurp’

“What the hell?” Aria turned to look at Christine as her vest lit up blue. “Really? You’re gonna shoot me? No. Just...no.”

She pulled up her gun and aimed it at the petite alpha. She squeezed the trigger, but Gabriel stepped in from, taking the hit. She huffed in annoyance, but it turned to laughter as she realized both alpha and omega were taking aim at Michael. His vest and shin guards all lit up blue, the sounds of hits ringing out in the darkness. The fact that Michael didn’t seem to understand how to use the rifle only made it better. He ended up shooting it at their flag and klaxons flared to life around them.

‘Blurp’

‘Blurp’

‘Blurp, blurp, blurp, blurp…’

“Try shooting something not ours!” Max admonished the archangel as she lit up the sensor on his back.

What was supposed to be a fun, if competitive, round of laser tag, turned into a game to see who could hit Michael the most. Eventually they all stopped counting and just took aim. The angels all seemed mostly confused, with the exception of Gabriel who had climbed up to sit on Sam’s shoulders for better aim. By the end of their half hour, when the lights rose and the final bell sounded, neither team was surprised to find that they had lost. They were also rather amused by the looks of concern from the third team of strangers.

“That was fun.” Aria grinned as they handed in their gear. It wasn’t much in the way of retaliation, but it still felt nice. Michael didn’t even seem upset. A look of confusion was plastered to his face, matching that of the two younger angels perfectly.

“Agreed.” Several other voices called out as they headed out of the laser tag arena.

“Who wants to go ride go-karts?” Renee asked, practically bouncing up and down. A chorus of ‘yes’ and ‘always’ filled the air and the group made their way over to the track. They spent the next few hours alternating between go-karts, water bumper cars, arcade games, and a few even tackled the massive rock wall. It was one of the most amazing afternoons Aria had experienced in a very long time, especially when she realized that it would likely become a rare occurrence from then on.

Tomorrow was a new day and they would have to worry about other things. She didn’t want tomorrow to come, ever. She just wanted to stay in that moment of happiness and laughter forever. Not that she ever really got what she wanted. She pulled out her beat up iPhone and snapped a few pictures of her friends, knowing that things were going to get hard and that their smiles and their laughter were likely going to become very rare treats in the near future.

It was dark out when they finally headed back for the cars, and between the excitement of the day and the constant mental struggle she was facing, Aria was exhausted. She didn’t even complain when the leash reappeared, following behind Michael as obediently as Xander followed Cas. By the time they reached the cars, she was ready to just sleep.

“Anyone object to grabbing Chinese and heading back to Bobby’s?” Christine asked the group. No one seemed to want to argue, so they all climbed in the cars and left. Sam stopped to grab the food, while Max continued on to Bobby’s place. In the back seat of the Camaro, Aria snuggled with her fox from her place on Michael’s lap. She was starting to doze off until the car hit a pothole and she jerked awake. She squeaked, startled, and grabbed a hold of the first thing she could reach. That thing just happened to be an angel. To his credit, Michael didn’t say a word. He tightened his grip on her and pulled her down to rest her head against his shoulder.

She supposed he wasn’t so bad. Times like this, when he was almost sweet, were bearable. She knew, like everything else lately, that it wouldn’t last though. Maybe, if she were as obedient as Xander, or as accepting of her place as Gabriel, things would be different. That just wasn’t her way though. If something was wrong, if she felt that something was inexorably unfair, she couldn’t help but buck up and fight back. She’d been that way with playground bullies, unfair teachers, sleazy bosses, and assholes in general. It came from being raised in a place where most people still thought race and sexual orientation mattered more than the fact that everyone was human.

She wasn’t aware she had dozed off again until they stopped and she was being lifted from her spot. She yelped and flailed a bit.

“Stop squirming or I’ll drop you.” He grumbled from above her. She stilled in his arms and hid her face against his chest. He still dressed like John Winchester, worn soft shirts and flannels, faded and nicely fitting jeans, heavy boots. He was strong, too. She could feel his muscles moving beneath his fitted shirt. All in all, she guessed she could have done worse. He was attractive at least, so long as she didn’t think too much about the fact that he was inhabiting the body of Sam and Dean’s dead father. That thought brought a question to her mind and she was quick to ask it as he sat her on her feet in the living room.

“How’d you get the meatsuit? John Winchester was older when he died, and if you’d pulled him out of the 70’s, Sam and probably Dean wouldn’t exist.” She covered a yawn.

“I’m the oldest angel in existence. Once the soul departed, I was able to reverse the aging process. It’s all very complicated and I’m sure you wouldn’t understand, little omega.” He was trying to placate her and put her in her place all at once. Normally it would irritate her, but she was too tired. She shrugged, taking his explanation as it was, and yawned again. He cocked his head before taking her hand and leading her to the living room.

He sat in a chair and motioned for her to take the pillow on the floor to his right. With a huff, and aided by the sharp tug at her leash, she did so, her head falling to rest against his thigh as she closed her eyes. She was almost asleep, the feeling if his fingers in her hair and at the nape of her neck causing her to relax against him, when the front door opened and Gabriel rather loudly crowed that they had returned bearing gifts.

Aria growled softly, but otherwise didn’t move. The fingers in her hair tightened in warning before resuming their slow pace. She sighed and looked at the group as they walked in, the scent of fresh, hot Chinese food wafting through the house. Her stomach rumbled softly and she realized just how little she had eaten that day.

Or the day before.

Had it really only been two days? It felt like so much more. She huffed again and let her eyes close. She was sleepy and sleep mattered more in that moment than food. At least she thought so until she had a small white carton shoved under her nose along with a pair of chopsticks. She opened her green eyes and met brown.

“Got your favorite.” Christine waved the small container a bit. The smell of orange chicken drew her back to consciousness and she followed it as Christine pulled the carton away. She only stopped when her leash was taut between her collar and Michael’s hand. She whined softly and glared back at him.

“You’ll eat.” He chuckled softly, completely unphased by her irritation. “Just as soon as everyone else has theirs.”

“But...they’ll eat it all.” She pouted. She loved her friends, but food wasn’t something that any of them tended to have mercy over. First come, first serve.

“I’m not sure which I should find more irritating. You lack of faith in me to provide for you what you require, or your inability to accept and follow my instructions. You will eat, omega, when the others have helped themselves. It’s a lesson in patience. Now, sit.” He matched her glare with one of his own and she swallowed sharply. The last thing she wanted to do was anything he told her to, but the fear that he would withhold food if she didn’t made her stomach protest her thoughts of defiance. With a soft huff, Aria sat hard on the floor at his feet, her arms wrapping around her knees and her back slouched.

“Pout all you like, it won’t get you anywhere,” Michael chimed. The back door opened and the scent of leather and fresh earth hit her like a slap to the face. She squeaked and curled in on herself until she felt a hand at the nape of her neck. “Relax. He can’t hurt you.”

She wished she could relax, but her eyes cut over to the basement door and the worst possible scenarios of exactly what the hunter would have done to her flittered through her mind like demented and persistent bees. Her stomach knotted in anxiety and her appetite vanished.

“Relax.” Michael’s soft baritone wormed its way through her fogged brain, pulling her back from her own imagination. Dean had been trained by Alistair, and while others seemed fine with omitting that bit of information, she wasn’t. It was getting harder to breath and the edges of her vision were going dark. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her blood, her autonomic system screaming at her to run, because there was no way in hell she could fight.

“Look at me.” A hand pushed up in her chin and her green eyes connected with blue. “Relax. Breath. He’s not a threat.”

“C-can’t…” She choked out. She was getting dizzy now and her stomach roiled. Panic attack. That’s what this was. She knew it now. Michael pulled her up and onto his lap as though she were as light as a kitten. She could damn near feel the auxiliary feathers of his wings brushing over her skin as her wrapped her in his arms and his scent. Calming pheromones washed over her, chasing away the nerves and the fear.

The next thing she knew she was being woken up with whispered words and the smell of hot steamed dumplings. She opened her eyes, wincing at the brightness of the lights, and was met with a tight smile.

“You need to eat, little one. Then you can sleep.” Michael urged and shifted her in his lap so that her back was pressed firmly against his chest. He held a dumpling to her lips with his fingers, the bamboo chopsticks forgotten for the moment. She was too tired to argue and those dumplings were her weakness. Her lips parted on their own and she took a small bite. She moaned softly as the flavors of steamed pork, onions, and spices exploded on her tongue. If she noticed his breath catch in his throat or his pupils dilate she didn’t acknowledge it.

To his credit, he never paused in feeding her. He took his time, yes, but he wasn’t intentionally trying to withhold food from her as Dean had. Aria had a feeling that he somehow knew that she would scarf every bite down in minutes given the chance, and she couldn’t help but feel a bit sheepish at the truth of it. She took the last bite of the last dumpling, her teeth accidentally grazing his fingertips in her haste for more, and he growled in her ear.

It wasn’t an angry sound, or even an annoyed one. It was a warning, though, and as she squirmed a bit on his lap, she realized exactly what kind. She could feel her cheeks flush with embarrassment and she stilled immediately. She didn’t move again until she had finished eating, or rather until he decided she was finished. She was never one to eat much at one time, and he had made her eat enough to fill a grown man. Now she was more than ready for bed, but lacked the energy to move. She forced herself to her feet, stretching her arms high over her head and popping every joint she could. She giggled when Samandriel gave her a look of concern and mild confusion.

“What? You get stiff when you get-” she began.

“Don’t you dare say it.” Max, Xander, and Renee chorused.

“-old.” She bit her lip in an attempt to fight off a smile.

“Gah!”

“You’re not old!”

“Just stop!”

She shrugged and yawned softly. “Yeah, whatever makes my little ones happy.”

She shot a glance towards the stairs. She wanted so badly to just crawl into bed and sleep but the bed was upstairs and to get to it, she would have to walk. With a groan Aria looked back at Michael who was looking back at her. The leash had vanished at some point, but she could still feel the soft weight of the collar against her clavicle. Thank Chuck for small favors.

“I’m going to bed. You kids have fun. Don’t stay up too late and, uh, don’t do anything I wouldn’t approve of.” She stifled another yawn.

“So...basically, what you’re saying, is that anything is fair game.” Renee grinned and shot Max an amused look.

“Hey, as long as the cops don’t get involved, and so long as you don’t wake me up, do whatever the hell you want. You’re adults. Have fun.” She waved them off as she padded towards the staircase. “I will, however, request that any deals with crossroads demons, or Satan, be made in my presence. Just cause. So don’t do that without me.”

She was up the stairs without remembering the climb and then she was face first on the bed in the farthest room. Aria awkwardly tugged off her shoes and socks, intent on leaving the rest till morning.

“You should change. You can’t be comfortable.”

Why the hell had he followed her up? She was just going to sleep, and she could do that just fine on her own.

“Don’t care. Sleep.” Her voice was muffled by the pillow half-shoved in her mouth. She didn’t bother fighting it when an arm wrapped around her and hauled her to her feet.

“Change. Now.”

“I would, but I’m not a shifter and my skinwalking abilities are limited to this skin.” Did that make sense? More importantly, did she care? His response was a huff of irritation and a growl, his blue eyes rimmed with red. He didn’t ask again, and she supposed it said something of his personality that he only gave so many chances. It was still more that the asshat down stairs.

In seconds she was stood before him in nothing more than her underwear feeling incredibly self conscious. She had more scars than she cared to explain, and was grateful that he didn’t mention them or let his gaze linger on them for very long. He seemed rather clinical about it, actually, and that should have made her feel better, but it only set her on edge.

He looked at her expectantly and then over to the bed. With a sigh she crawled beneath the covers, but he followed her there too. He must have used his angel mojo, because he was certainly not as clothed as he had been a second before. She felt him wrap himself around her, pulling her close and tucking her body in against his.

“You try anything, mister, and I’ll castrate you with a rusty knife. You’ll be as anatomically correct as a fucking Ken doll.” She felt his breath puff over the back of her neck as he chuckled, but he didn’t say a word. His fingers danced over her side and elicited tiny giggles from the woman, but when she tried to move away, he would just pull her back.

“Stop moving. Sleep.” He grumbled, but his fingers never stopped. He was releasing calming pheromones again and her eyelids were starting to droop. A soft rustle of feathers filled the air, and in her haze she thought he’d left. A small whine left her lips a moment before she felt the heavy weight of what could only be his wing as it fell over her. She didn’t question why she could feel it, or how she could hear their movement. Part of her didn’t want to know and the rest was too far gone in sleep to care.

“Nigh’ alph~”she trailed off as sleep claimed her.


	6. Chapter 6

 

The following days passed calmly as everyone settled into their new routines. Mornings were usually slow to start as no one but Sam seem overly pleased about getting up before ten at the earliest. Aria was usually among the first ones to wake and had taken to fixing breakfast for the odd little family as a means of having something to do.

The fifth morning found her showered, dressed, and in the kitchen by nine. Her short hair was still damp and tousled, and her eyes were still a bit bleary with sleep. A pan of bacon was on the stove, along with pan of scrambled eggs. She was just rolling out the dough for biscuits when she smelled him. Dean. They hadn’t been alone together since her arrival and they hadn’t spent more than five minutes in the same room since the incident.

Her entire body tensed despite her internal commands to relax. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and her skin felt tight and itchy. She recognized the start of a panic attack and tried to block him out. She focused on the blob of dough in front of her, kneading and rolling it out a bit more aggressively than she probably needed to.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He snapped, irritation evident in his sleep-gruff voice.

“The bruise on my neck and the pain in my shoulder says differently,” came her terse response as she began cutting out the biscuits and placing them on the baking sheet. She didn’t look at him, but then she didn’t need to. She heard the scuffle of his feet against the kitchen floor as he moved over to the fridge and rummaged around. “Breakfast will be ready in a half hour.”

She caught his shrug out of the corner of her eye.

“Coffee’s in the pot, just brewed.”

Another shrug, but this time he straightened and closed the refrigerator door. He pulled a coffee cup out of the cabinet and poured the dark liquid over from the carafe. Without another word he disappeared from the kitchen and Aria let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Her hands were shaking slightly as she put the biscuits in the oven and pulled the bacon from the burner.

She used the bacon grease, milk, flour, and pepper, and whipped together a pan of white gravy. As soon as the biscuits were done, she pulled them out, brushed them with melted butter and moved them to a plate. She finished setting the table just as the other members of the house began to stir. She poured a cup of coffee for herself, intent on enjoying it before the day became too hectic, and hopped up on the counter to watch the others.

Moments like this, when everyone was together and fairly quiet, she could almost imagine her life was normal again. There were no angels, no demons, not alpha or beta or omega. They were just a family having breakfast and semi-conscious conversations. She didn’t bother hiding the small smile that tugged at her lips. She took a large gulp of the steaming liquid in her mug and swallowed, sighing happily as it warmed her from the inside out. She was content where she was until a knock at the front door drew her attention.

“I got it.” She jumped down and padded through the living room. She was only mildly surprised to find the petite redhead on the other side, a travel bag over one shoulder, a backpack, and a laptop bag over the other. Aria didn’t even bother saying anything. She just opened the door and beckoned the woman in.

“Sup, bitches?” the alpha smiled as she strode into the living room and dropped her things on the sofa. She sent a wink at Renee, Samandriel, and Max who had taken to eating in the living room before she disappeared into the kitchen. “Oh! Breakfast! Don’t mind if I do.”

Aria shook her head and closed the door, following Charlie back through to the kitchen to retrieve her coffee before slipping out and up the stairs. She could hear Charlie’s rambunctious chatter as she ascended to the second floor. Closing her bedroom door only served to muffle it and she couldn’t help but laugh.

“What’s next, Benny? Or maybe a prophet or two?” Aria downed the rest of her coffee and set the cup on the dresser. With a heavy sigh she set about cleaning her room. Her habit of living like a 12 year-old-boy had followed her over. She had moved out of the larger room and into a much smaller one at the other end of the house. It housed a single bed, a dresser, a closet and a desk. The floor, like the rest of the old farmhouse, was hardwood, not that it was visible. She was in desperate need of doing laundry.

She was almost finished, her bed stripped and most of her dirty clothes in the hamper to be carried down stairs, when the rustle of feathers and the scent of lavender, leather, and hot steel filled the small room. “It’s about damn time you’re feathery ass came back. Things so bad upstairs, or did you just need some alone time?”

He didn’t raise to the bait. Instead he crossed his arms over his chest and gave her a look that told her shutting up would in her best interest. Since when did she ever listen to that, though?

“Playing the quiet game, are we? Demon got your tongue?” She snipped. She was, admittedly, a bit peeved where the archangel was concerned. He’d vanished that first night while she had slept and hadn’t been back since. He’d made it seem as if he were going to stick around and though she hated herself for it, she had quickly become attached to the idea. Waking up alone to a cold bed that was much too large for one person, with no explanation as to why, had stung as badly as an outright rejection.

“You think that you’re my only responsibility, omega? You think yourself so important that you deserve my undivided attention?” He sneered mockingly as he advanced on her. His blue eyes glowed in the muted light and as the small shafts of sunlight danced about through the breaks in the blinds, she saw six massive and distinct shadows on the wall behind him. His wings were raised high, spread to their full span, and the room felt a thousand times smaller for it.

No matter how badly she wanted to buck up, to stand her ground and give him a piece of her mind, she couldn’t seem to form the right words. She couldn’t even hold his gaze. Her green eyes flitted over his wings, then his torso, but never once moved back to face. She swallowed sharply as the scent of his ire surrounded her. Without knowing, she had backed herself against the foot of the bed, and he had followed her with precise, calculating movements.

“M-Michael…” she said as calmly as she could. It had just been a few snide comments. Surely they wouldn’t have upset him this much.

He only stopped when he was towering over her, barely an inch between them. His face was a mask of calm, hard and cold as marble, but his eyes sparked dangerously and she was suddenly well aware of the fact that she was cowering before one of the most powerful beings in existence. Her breath hitched as his hand came up and she flinched as it moved to cup her cheek. His touch was soft, almost tender, until he ran his fingers through her hair and his grip turned to iron. She couldn’t hold back the sharp gasp as he pulled her head back sharply, forcing her to meet his gaze.

“You are nothing more that one more burden on my list. You’re not important and you’re not special. I have a kingdom to run, hosts of angel to coordinate and direct, and an entire planet to keep watch on. You are one small, insignificant little ape in a sea of insignificant apes, and you should feel honored and humbled that I bother with you at all.” His voice was level, passive and calm, but underneath she could hear the barely restrained power and it terrified her.

“Do you understand, omega? Do you grasp your place now?” He shoved her away and back onto the bed. She watched him for a long time, trying to control her ragged breathing and rapid heartbeat. “Do you understand?”

She nodded shakily, not sure what else to do.

“When your alpha asks you a question, you answer.” He leaned over her, his lips brushing over her cheek.

“Y-you’re not my alpha. We haven’t mated.” She whispered softly. The feral snarl and accompanying grin she received were not at all reassuring.

“We will be. The moment your first heat begins, you will belong to me. Your soul will forever be tied to mine and you will kneel at my feet for eternity.” She froze, every muscle in her body tense and rigid. “I will ask you one last time, do you understand, little one?”

Little one? That’s what he called her when things were alright. He called her omega when he was irritated or upset. When she didn’t respond, he whispered again.

“Little one? Are you alright?” That didn’t fit either. What the hell was going on? The scene before her sifted and she found herself on the hard floor, Michael looking down at her worriedly. All hints of his anger were gone and his features were softer. “Are you ill?”

Aria shook her head. Was she ill? Had it been a delusion? Her head throbbed and she groaned as she moved to sit up. “Wha-what happened?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know, little one. I arrived to find you on the floor, unconscious and wreaking of fear and confusion.” She flinched as he brought his hand up and something akin to hurt flashed in his eyes and he pulled his hand away. “You appear feverish and pale. Let me heal you.”

A dream. It had all been a dream. That hadn’t been the real Michael, just a figment of her imagination. No doubt brought on by her self conscious tendencies to think herself worthless and undeserving of anyone’s time and attention. Well that was reassuring. She nodded and tried to relax as she pulled in his scent. Warmth washed over her as she felt his fingertips brush over her forehead.

“You’re still changing.” He seemed confused by that, and honestly so was she. Unless...damn. It had been almost a week since they had arrived in this universe, and that meant it had been almost a week since she had taken her birth control. Did that have something to do with it? Had it slowed the progression of her change? Was that why her’s hadn’t been nearly so bad as Xander’s? His words floated through her thoughts. “I can’t heal this, little one. I can’t make this go away.”

She nodded softly even as she whined. He lifted her from the floor with ease and placed her on the bed before disappearing. Before she could protest, he returned with a bottle of water in hand. He opened it and helped her to sit so that she could drink. When she'd had enough, he sat it aside and used his powers to cast off the majority of her clothing. At her questioning look, he smiled softly. “You’re feverish. There’s no sense in making it worse.”

He lay beside her on the bed, her body pulled in tight against his own. Feeling him so close to her was helping more than she expected and being surrounded by his scent and the weight of his feathers over top of her were soothing.

“Don’t…”Her voice was weak and cracked at the end.

“I’m not going anywhere, little one. Sleep. I’ll be here when you wake.”

That was all she needed. Before she could utter a thank you, she was out, surrounded by lavender and alpha.

~*~*~*~*~

It felt like forever before she woke again, and everything seemed different somehow. Smells were different, the light was different, even her skin felt different. She curled around the form beside her, wrapping herself in the safety and protection that came with the familiar scent. A large, warm hand carded through her hair and down her cheek.

“Are you awake, my little omega?”

She knew that voice, but she was still groggy and having a hard time placing it. She nodded against his chest, but stopped. Her head ached from the subtle movement and she had to fight to keep from getting sick.

“You had everyone worried.” He whispered. “You’ve been out for nearly two days and your fever was nearly lethal for most of it.”

She’d almost died? Was that what he was telling her? Her entire body ached and when she thought about it, she felt as if she had been run over repeatedly by a large bus. She struggled to sit up. Everything felt like overworked jello, ready to give way any second. A firm hand rested against the small of her back as Michael helped her up and pressed a bottle of water to her lips. She drank as though she were dying of thirst, emptying the bottle in seconds and wishing there had been more.

“Can you, uh, can you make the pain go away?” She asked softly, looking at the empty bottle in his hand.

“Give it time, little one. The pain will fade soon.”

She nodded and took a deep breath before slowly climbing off the bed and to her feet. Her legs were shaky from being still for so long, but she could manage. She needed a shower. She took a few unsteady steps before stumbling and a pair of arms caught her around the waist.

“You’re still incredibly stubborn, I see. I’ll admit to hoping most of your personality would remain unphased by the change. Most humans either cower at my feet or run. I rather enjoy having someone around that’s willing to challenge me.” She could hear the smirk in his voice as she shrugged him off.

“Don’t touch me.” She muttered. She hadn’t meant it to sound so harsh and she quickly backpedaled. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just...I’m sweaty and gross and I smell like a locker room floor. I need a shower.”

He nodded though she could tell he didn’t quite understand her sudden aversion to his touch. “You did not object to my touch before. Quite the opposite; you whined whenever I would pull away.”

He stepped closer to her, brushing her cheek with the back of his knuckles. “And you smell far from displeasing, little one. You smell like omega, like vanilla and sandalwood and-”

He broke off as though he were ashamed to admit what he was going to say. It made her nervous and she chanced a look at his face in hopes of discerning what he was trying to say. What she found was not what she expected. His blue eyes were rimmed in the brightest alpha red she had seen and his pupils were blown wide. Afraid she had done something wrong, Aria took a hurried step back and ended up on the floor, her backside smarting from the impact and the rest of her wary body protesting the jolt.

He crouched in front of her, but didn’t move to reach out again. He simply stared as though he were trying to figure out how to say something. His brow crinkled and his lips were set into a thin line. He could tell she was startled by him, but he didn’t understand why.

“What else…” She asked timidly, her eyes flickering to his once again. They were still red though their intensity was muted as uncertainty clouded them. He bit his bottom lip and she couldn’t help but watch with rapt attention as it disappeared between his teeth. It was such a human action that it almost look alien when he did it. She was so caught up that she didn’t catch his reply.

“Sorry, what?”

“Home.” The look of complete vulnerability that shrouded his features in that moment was enough to make her entire world shatter. Home? What exactly did that mean? Did she smell like heaven or something?

“I don’t understand.” It was her turn to bite her lip.

He shook his head before easing forward and capturing her chin between his thumb and forefinger, forcing her face up until her eyes met his. She hadn’t been prepared for the kiss that followed. It was gentle and timid, but barely controlled. His lips were dry and slightly chapped, but they were warm and soft. He was holding back, she could tell, like he was afraid of scaring her off, as though she were some skittish little doe in the woods. When her mind caught up with the situation, he was starting to pull back, an apology on his lips.

She surged forward and kissed him hard. It wasn’t as gentle or as sweet, and it didn’t have the restraint his had. It was needy and reassuring and demanding. What he gave in return was enough to take her breath away. She felt his fingers tangle in her unkempt hair, his nails rake across her sensitive scalp. His tongue brushed over her bottom lip and he took advantage of the small gasp that followed, slipping his tongue between her lips to explore the cavern of her mouth.  
He took his time, and she made a rather impatient noise, but he was persistent in his actions. She didn’t bother vying for dominance, she knew she wouldn’t win, but she did nip at his lip as he pulled away. It hadn’t been a wise move and a second later found her pinned to the floor, a growling alpha baring down on her.

A knock on the door interrupted them and his growl was cut short. He huffed and pulled away before standing and pulling her to her feet once more. He leaned forward, pressing a chaste kiss to the corner of her mouth before whispering softly against her cheek. “This is not over, little one.”

The thinly veiled promise of his words sent a shiver down her spine and she smiled devilishly in reply. “Promise?”

She turned on her heel, opening the door wide to find Max and Charlie standing outside. “You’re...awake…”

“Looks like. What’s up, lovebug?” She stepped back and began searching for something to wear, oddly unfazed by the fact that she was nearly naked. She managed to find a pair of linen pants, similar to the many pairs Gabriel had conjured for Xander, clean underwear, and a worn out band tee that must have belonged to one of the guys. It was soft and clean, but when she sniffed it her nose crinkled a bit.

She balled it up and tossed it to Michael. “Make this smell like you.”

He raised a brow at her demand.

“Please.” She pouted slightly and batted her lashes. She heard the rustle of his wings before the shirt was flung back at her. She didn’t know how, but it smelled entirely of him and she smiled. “Thank you.”

“You two are so not subtle.” Charlie quipped, her red waves flying about her shoulders as she shook her head. “But that’s cool. Subtle doesn’t always work. Get a shower, get changed. I’m here to take your picture, m’lady.”

The redhead gave a joking bow and laughed before retreating back down the hall.

“My picture?”

“Sam called her into make up papers for all of us. She was just waiting on you to join the world of the living to finish up. Everything else is ready to go.” Max explained. Right. Papers. Registration. Testing. Aria nodded.

“I’ll be down in a few. Gotta get a shower, after all.” She held up the pile of clothes in her hand and moved out of the room and into the bathroom she shared with the Renee and Max. She bathed quickly, and changed into the clean clothes. She hadn’t realized how complicated the pants were. Straps and clasps were everywhere, reminiscent of a rock climbing harness, and it took her longer than she would ever admit to figure them out. A row of lacing ran up either side and tied to keep the pants up and they vaguely reminded her of the gothic bondage pants she had worn in high school. She tugged on the shirt, sniffing it as she tousled her damp hair and made her way downstairs.

She was greeted by the sight of a near empty living room. Bobby was at his desk as always, Charlie and Max were off in the corner chatting animatedly about something, and Michael was just exiting the kitchen with a plate in hand. He didn’t eat so she assumed it was for her. Aria gave him a timid smile and was about to move towards him when Charlie noticed her.

“Great! You’re up! Let’s get some pictures. You can model for me.” She was as excited as she ever was, perky and just a ray of sunshine.

“I... don’t model.” Aria raised a brow. Hell, she didn’t even like having her picture taken.

“Aw...come on.” The redhead pouted, but Aria just shook her head.

“Can we just snap a few headshots and move on? Please?” She really hated being on this end of the camera. She would take the pictures all day long, no complaints, but being in the frame was nerve wracking.

“Yeah, sure. No problem.” Charlie nodded with a slight grin. She took a few headshots and that was that. While she worked on transferring the photos from her camera to her laptop, Aria took her seat beside Michael’s chair without a word. He seemed to understand and a second later, something was pressed to her lips. She opened her mouth, took a bite, chewed, swallowed, and repeated.

She didn’t even pay attention to what he was feeding her. It didn’t matter as long as it sated her insistent hunger. She had noticed in the shower that she had lost a bit of weight over the past two days. She’d been asleep all of it, so she hadn’t had the chance to eat. The change must have burned some of her fat stores, not that she was going to complain about that. Now, thought, she was so hungry she could have eaten a whole cow and probably still have room for dessert.

When the food was gone, she stood, popping her joints and stretching her stiff muscles. She sighed in relief as her neck popped, then her back. Sweet Chuck, that felt good. She took the plate from Michael and headed for the kitchen. It was still fairly clean, but her OCD was noticing all the little details that weren’t. There were a few plates in the sink, a dirty pan on the stovetop, a small pile of dirt and debris swept into the corner.

Half an hour passed before she felt a hand on her shoulder. She had just finished scrubbing down the counters, and everything else was clean again. She turned to find Michael looking at her disapprovingly.

“Don’t you dare. I’m not going to pass out from cleaning the kitchen. Or the living room for that matter. Come to think of it, this whole house could use a good cleaning.” She grumbled as she moved past him. She was in that kind of mood, it happened every now and then, and until she got it out of her system, she wouldn’t be able to stop.

The next afternoon found her scrubbing the baseboards in the upstairs hallway. Xander was happily dusting the bedrooms and Gabriel was working on windows. She’d even recruited Max, Charlie, Renee, and Samandriel. Michael had vanished, claiming there was an emergency in Heaven that required immediate attention. She had been too focused to argue. It wasn’t until that evening that she was satisfied with everything and called it a job well done.

“Stupid nesting omegas. Next time, don’t touch my things.” Dean griped as he looked about his room for something or another.

“Don’t worry. Next time, I figured I’d just set fire to it. Cleanse the whole space.” Aria quipped as she walked past. “And it has nothing to do with being omega. I happen to have a bit of an OCD.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever,” came his muffled reply.

“If it’s the collection of porn you’re looking for, I tossed it.” She called over her shoulder as she carried the freshly folded towels into the bathroom.

“You what!?”

“I tossed it. It was just lying about and I don’t want it anywhere near the young ones. You should keep your things tucked away if you don’t want something to happen to them.” She smiled sweetly. “Keep it out of sight, and it won’t happen again.”

She walked away, leaving him standing in the middle of the hallway, mouth hanging open in disbelief. She carried the plastic laundry basket back down to the laundry room, dropping it off on top of the dryer, and moving to the kitchen to help Xander finish with dinner.

“You what!?” the cry echoed throughout the house a second time and everyone seemed to get a laugh out of it.


	7. Chapter 7

 

Training. That was all anyone had done for the past two weeks. Christine, Renee, and Max were being trained as hunters, learning to fight with knives, guns, and any other weapon the boys thought would be handy. They were also being taught basic hand-to-hand, as well as survival techniques. Aria and Xander were being given a crash course in proper omega behavior by Gabriel, while Castiel watched from the other side of the room. While the others were being taught to defend themselves and how to kill a rugaru, the two omegas were being trained in the decidedly less appealing art of shutting their mouths and being complacent.

For what felt like the hundredth time that morning, Aria threw up her hands, huffed, and stomped away.

“This is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.” She cried. She’d had it up to her neck with posture and bearing. She could hardly walk straight on a good day, much less with ‘grace and poise.’ Balancing a book on her head only served to prove that she was about as graceful as a three-legged hippo. Her backside ached from the multitude of falls it had sustained.

“You just need practice.” Gabriel smiled sweetly at her.

“Says the angel. Ya know, the one with wings and actual Grace.”

“I do not understand how your use of sarcasm will assist you in this matter.” Castiel said gruffly from his seat.

“It makes me feel better, you flying feathered di-”

“Whoa, there! Language! We’ve gone over this so many times!” Gabriel admonished her with a slap to her shoulder. “You have got to learn to hold your tongue, sugarcube.”

Aria rolled her eyes and huffed again. “Of all the places to end up, I have to end up in the one that wants me to change every single thing that makes me...me!”

She wanted to cry. After her fever and actually changing, she had been much more emotional than she remembered. She was used to burying her feelings deep, deep down and praying they never rose up again. Now it wasn’t really an option. The smallest shift in her emotions triggered an overwhelming urge to just ball up and hide from the world. They were too close to the surface for her liking.

She sniffed and turned on her heel, storming out of the living room, through the kitchen, and out the back door. She just needed to get away for a second, to breathe and just exist. Aria leaned against the railing of the back porch, a light breeze tousling her hair. She thought about everything, about changing, about testing, her friends, her family back home. She even thought about Michael. She hadn’t seen him since she’d gotten through her fever. He had said something about being needed elsewhere and just vanished. No one had heard from him since and she wondered if maybe he’d realized the mess he had walked in to.

It was better this way, anyhow.

He didn’t need a messed up omega like her, and she didn’t need an overbearing, bipolar alpha like him.

So why was she still wearing his collar? If he’d meant to leave for good, shouldn’t he have taken it with him? Maybe it was one last dick move from him. He had effectively tagged her as his without marking her and now no alpha would come within ten feet of her if it wasn’t one she already knew.

“Asshat,” she huffed again. She sat on the steps, her eyes moving towards the homemade gun range. Sam was teaching Renee how to properly hold a semi, while Max and Charlie were sparing hand-to-hand a ways off behind them. She didn’t know where Dean and Christine were, likely off somewhere beating the hell out of each other for fun. She was startled when someone sat beside her and she turned to find Samandriel looking at her with concern.

“You are still having a hard time adjusting.” It wasn’t a question.

“No shit, Sherlock.” She rolled her eyes. The reference was lost on him and he stared at her, his head cocked slightly to the side.

“My name is not Sherlock.”

Aria fought every urge she had not to facepalm. “You know what? Nevermind. Yeah, I’m having a hard time. I hate being this...thing. Michael left and hasn’t come back, but he made sure to leave this behind.”

She thumbed at the thin metal ring around her neck.

“Michael is very busy. You cannot expect him to be at your side all of the time. He has other responsibilities to attend to.”

“I don’t care about other responsibilities!” She cried, only just noticing the tears that had tracked down her cheeks.

“You care for him. You need him.” Another statement. That was getting annoying.

“Bullshit.”

“He is your alpha. There is nothing wrong with wanting him to be close to you, especially with you being unmated. He will return, but in the meantime, perhaps you should focus on making certain that you are still here when he does.”

She knew what he meant. She had to pass those damn tests in order to remain where she was. She didn’t want to think of the alternative. Aria gave a heavy sigh and nodded. The timid angel wasn’t wrong but she would never say so aloud. The back door opened, but she didn’t have time to turn around before a pair of arms wrapped tight around her shoulders.

“Come back inside. You can’t just give up. Not after all of this.” Xander muttered in her ear. She patted the arms that rested against her chest and turned to kiss his cheek.

“When have I ever given up? I just needed a break.” She pulled away from him and stood, brushing off the seat of her pants. That was one thing she truly didn’t care for. The pants were a pain in the ass to put on, but they were built with the alpha in mind. They were comfortable, and buttery soft, but beyond that they were for the alpha’s ease. The front panels were held up with lacing, the back panel with a series of snaps down the outer thighs. Easy access, she guessed. It made her feel like a prostitute, or maybe something lower. She wasn’t exactly getting paid. The top wasn’t much better, but at least it covered everything.

“Feel better?” Gabriel asked as he stood from one of the pillows on the floor. He had the stem of a sucker hanging from his lips, and several candy wrappers littered the coffee table.

“Yeah, I guess.” She shrugged.

“Great! Let’s keep going.” He chirped.

The rest of the morning, afternoon, and well into the evening were spent practicing commands and positions. Whenever she made the comment of feeling like a dog, she received a swift slap to the back of the head, courtesy of the golden-eyed archangel. She didn’t know how else to feel with Castiel telling her to sit, stand, kneel, stay, and lay down. She kept waiting for him to say ‘roll over’ or ‘beg,’ but they never came. When the command to present was issued, Aria decided she’d had enough for the day.

She stood and left the room again, not bothering to ask permission and earning a growl from the gruff alpha. She brushed it off and kept walking. She had dinner to fix, after all.

~*~

Two weeks turned to three. Every day was the same.

Wake up.

Make breakfast.

Do some light cleaning.

Train.

Make lunch.

Train.

Make dinner.

Go to bed.

They had moved beyond basic commands and into understanding the more subtle nuances of society. Omegas were to be seen, not heard. An omega only had a voice if their alpha deigned to give them one. They were to be leashed and collared at all times, unless otherwise noted. They were never to travel without their alpha, or a guardian. Any omega deemed unruly, either by government, police, or civilian, was to be taken into custody and set for public reprimand.

What was meant by public reprimand varied from state to state, and town to town. For Sioux Falls it meant that the omega was taken to the front of the courthouse and chained. Then they were whipped. First by their alpha, then by the offended party, and then by the Chief of Police. It was meant to serve as a warning to other omegas, and a humiliating punishment to the accused. There were no trials, no hearings. It took one asshole going to the cops and saying that an omega had misbehaved. They didn’t even require proof, because why on earth would an alpha lie about such things?

It was backwards, brutal, immoral, and degrading.

And it was perfectly legal.

Omegas were property so far as the law was concerned. If they were unmated, then they belonged to their alpha parent. In the event that such a parent didn’t exist, then they belonged to the next alpha of kin. And so the chain went. Exhausting all other avenues, the omega belonged to the state, for their own safety, of course. As property of the state, anything could happen. Most ended up in brothels, a few ended up as companions for uncommitted alphas that served in leading roles.

Once an omega was claimed, the only person that held ownership was the alpha that had marked them. It was irreversible and binding. There was no divorce, no shelters to run to, no cops to call. If the alpha was cruel and abusive, then it was because the omega deserved it. Omega ‘abuse’ didn’t even exist in the eyes of the law.

Then there were the more abstract social constructs. Never look an alpha in the eye. Never talk back. Never complain. Never resist. Never, never, never. Omegas were supposed to trust their alpha wholly. If an alpha gave a command, the omega was expected to follow no matter if the omega thought it was the right choice. The alpha would always take care of their omega, and they always did what was right, even if it wasn’t understood. Omegas, it was believed, didn’t possess the mental capacity necessary to fully grasp an alpha’s complex ideas.

It was essentially slavery. Only it wasn’t. Omegas need protection, alphas needed to be taken care of. Without an alpha, an omega’s heats could be brutal, even life threatening in some cases. An omega needed an alpha in order to produce pups, and all omegas wanted pups. Without an alpha to guide them, omegas were lost. They couldn’t provide for themselves. They didn’t have the intellectual capacity to obtain jobs, and even if they did, they were much too frail emotionally and psychologically to withstand the stress.

No, it was best this way. Or so everyone kept telling her. She didn’t want to believe any of it. And yet, the longer Michael was away, the more she saw Xander and Cas together, or Gabe with Christine and Sam, it made her want to cry. She felt lonely, surrounded by people that cared about her. She felt abandoned by someone she didn’t want to admit she wanted. She was so confused, never knowing which emotion to focus on and which ones to shove away until she could curl up in her too big bed at night and cry herself to sleep. It never did any good, but she couldn’t help it.

Three weeks and four days after he vanished from her bed, Michael returned. He looked worn, but no one else seemed to notice it. Maybe no one else was paying attention. His normally bright eyes seemed a bit too dull and his shoulders, usually so strong and rigid, looked slumped. She smelled him before she saw him or heard him.

Aria was in the kitchen fixing dinner, Xander at her side while Cas sat at the table with a book in his hands. She’d almost sliced off the tip of her finger when the smell of lavender and hot steel met her nose and the knife fell to the counter with a dull ‘clank.’ She had to grab ahold of the counter’s edge to keep from turning and throwing herself at him. She realized only then that she hadn’t been close to him at all since her actual transformation, only his lingering scent. She pulled in a shaky breath, letting it out slowly. Her stomach roiled with her emotions and her heart thrummed loudly in her ears. There was a sudden, unexplainable lump in her throat and no matter how hard she tried to swallow it, it wouldn’t budge.

“Took you long enough.” Dean’s gruff voice filled the deafening silence of the room. She knew he was pointing at her when he spoke. “No one else can do a damn thing with her. You leave again, she goes with you.”

Light green eyes met forest green, a growl rising up in her throat as she glared at him. She wanted to slap that arrogant look off of his pretty face. She turned back to the carrots she had been slicing, picking up the knife with numb fingers, and resumed cutting. She could always poison him. Not enough to kill him, naturally. Prison was no place for an omega she was sure. Maybe just a little bit of food poisoning. The idea of him spent hanging over a toilet for the next two days in pure, embarrassing agony made her smile just a hair.

“Stop.” His voice cut through her imaginings like a razorblade. Every muscle in her body froze at his command, though he hadn’t used his Alpha Voice. Her entire body trembled. She handed the knife to Xander with the instructions to keep chopping, then add them all to the pot. She’d make a cook of the smaller omega yet. She turned to face him, eyes on the floor as she wiped her slightly damp fingers on a dish towel. “Upstairs.”

Her eyes widened a fraction but she didn’t hesitate. He followed her closely as she took the stairs and remained on her heels until both of them were hidden from sight behind her closed bedroom door. She moved to lean back against the wrought iron footboard of the bed. She wanted to be angry at him, to yell at him and ask him why he’d left her. She wanted to hit him and hurt him and make him feel what she felt. Every ounce of anger and frustration sat on the tip of her tongue, ready to lash out at him the moment she found the words, but it all vanished when a single finger beneath her chin forced her eyes up. She didn’t even notice she was crying until he brushed a tear away, the cool air hitting the moisture left behind and making her shiver.

She opened her mouth to speak, to say something about anything, but the words were lost as his warm, slightly chapped lips crashed against hers. She struggled against the pull at first, wanting to be angry with him, but she just couldn’t fight it. He was too much, too strong, too...alpha. Her fingers curled in his shirt, pulling him closer as his hands disappeared into her short locks. It was warm and sweet and searingly passionate all at once. She didn’t want to pull away but the need for oxygen burned her lungs and she pulled back. She was panting heavily as she looked up into his eyes, losing herself in the dark, fathomless pits of his blown pupils.

“You left.” She hadn’t meant to say it, and she certainly hadn’t meant for it to sound so forlorn and broken. She wasn’t some weak, alpha-dependent airhead. She could manage just fine on her own. Only she couldn’t and they both knew it. Not now.

“I had to. You...I couldn’t. I thought you might appreciate some space, some time to get used to being what you are.” His voice was deep and soothing, and it took her a second to grasp what he was saying.

“I needed you.”

“I know.”

“Don’t do it again.”

“Is that a command I hear, little one?” He growled softly, the outer rings of his iris’ flashing red.

“Yes.” She growled back, not realizing that her own light green orbs had gone pure omega gold. The air had grown heavy with their intertwining pheromones and it was overwhelming her rational mind.

“Soon.” He whispered, his warm, sweet breath puffing over her face as he brushed the back of one hand across her cheek. She whimpered softly, her bottom lip pouting out. Soon? She wanted him now. She wanted to fall over the bed and present for him like it was her only purpose for living. He laughed, a deep, agonizingly sexy sound that washed over her.

“You are mine, know that now. You will be mine.” His voice had darkened, his words ending with a snarl. “Your first heat will be with me and every heat after that. You will never know another alpha.”

She nodded mutely. Yes. She wanted that. She wanted that with everything she was or had ever been or would ever be. For the first time since her change, her inner omega rose up, chanting its mantra in her head. ‘Mate. Mate. Mate.’ For the first time since she’d arrived, she wanted to give in to what she was supposed to be.

The sudden earsplitting bleeping of the smoke detector downstairs shattered the moment.

“Xander.” She bolted from the room and down the stairs, coughing as the thick plumes of smoke that filled the kitchen found their way into her lungs.

“What the hell happened?” She called out over the alarm, racing over to open the back door and the windows. She kicked on the exhaust fan, hoping it would pull some of the rancid air out. The alarm shut off abruptly and she turned a grateful eye to Michael who had ripped it from the ceiling. She turned back to look at Xander, his eyes large and watery. He looked like a kicked puppy, and she instantly felt guilty for yelling at him. It was her fault for leaving him and assuming that Cas would keep him out of trouble.

“‘m sorry, Aria.” The small blond muttered, suddenly very enamored with his shoes. She pulled him into a hug, brushing his hair back and tucking him under her chin.

“You could have gotten hurt. What happened, pup?” She fretted as she pulled back, frantically looking him over for burns or scorch marks. He was clear, but she could see now that he was crying. She pulled him in close again. “It’s alright. I’m not mad. Just...don’t scare me like that, okay?”

She felt him nod against her chest as she shushed him. “Now what happened?”

“I don’t know. I was just chopping the carrots and next thing I know there’s a fire on the stove. I tried to put it out, but it wouldn’t go.” He hiccuped a bit as he spoke. She looked over to see the charred remains of the dish towel she had sat down earlier. In her haze she must have dropped it next to the burner. Shit.

“It wasn’t your fault, pup. It was mine. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I’m so so sorry.” She sighed. She pulled away again, brushing the tears away from the corners of his eyes. She didn’t catch the way Michael was looking at her, or the way Castiel was looking at Michael. Both angels seemed to have a similar thought however, and a moment later a sharp wind was forcing every wisp of smoke from the kitchen and out through the windows.

Dinner, a simple pot roast with vegetables and gravy, was fairly quiet. They were all spread out as usual, Sam and Christine at the kitchen table with Gabriel on his cushion between them, head on Sam’s thigh as Christine fed him. Cas sat on the opposite side, Xander on his lap with his head against the angel’s shoulder. Next to them sat Dean, ignoring everyone, but always happy to send a glare Aria’s way when he caught her gaze.

Renee, Samandriel, Max, and Charlie were all squished together on the sofa, trying to see who could jab whom in the side the hardest and gain a bit more room. No one seemed to be succeeding, all somewhat hesitant to spill anything and set Bobby off again. They’d made that mistake before and no one was willing to go for a fifth time. The beta in question was sitting at his desk, trying to block everyone else out.

Aria was, unadmittedly, comfortable on a cushion next to Michael’s seat in one of the armchairs. She couldn’t be bothered to complain as he fed her, bite by bite, and it really wouldn’t have mattered if she had. He’d just give her that look and she’d do anything. She supposed it should have annoyed her, and a month ago it would have, but having him so close, his scent filling her lungs and her head, she just didn’t have it in her to care too much about what she would have done a month ago.

“So, exams in a few day.” Charlie said, trying to fill the silence nervously. “Paperwork is good to go.”

Aria could see Xander shrink further into Cas’ arms at the mention of it. He would do fine, she knew. He was a natural at everything they had gone over. He just had a habit of stressing himself out, and Aria couldn’t help but send the redhead a wary look. The omega had her own concerns, though her’s were less ‘god-I-hope-I-do-well’ and more ‘dear-Chuck-just-let-me-pass.’ She didn’t realize she’d been tensing up until Michael’s fingers began to stroke the back of her neck. She relaxed instantly, her worry fading for the moment, and resumed eating.

“Why don’t we go out, let off a bit of steam?” Renee suggested.

Samandriel nodded at her left. “That may prove beneficial to both of you.”

Aria glanced up at Michael, but he was impossible to read on a good day. Since the fire incident, he’d seemed distant and preoccupied with something she wasn’t privy to. She shrugged and turned back to look at Renee. “You guys can go if you want. I don’t really feel much like going out.”

Renee and Max shared a look, knowing she wasn’t being entirely honest. They also knew that without Michael’s permission, she couldn’t go anywhere, and he didn’t seem very forthcoming with that.

“What about you, Xander? Wanna head down to the arcade? Maybe play some laser tag or ride the go-karts?” Max asked.

Xander just shook his head and buried his face against Cas’ neck. He was still shaken by the earlier incident and now Aria knew he was stressing over the impending exams on top of it. She turned her head away when Michael tried to feed her another bite. She hadn’t eaten much, but she wasn’t very hungry anymore. Instead, the brunette stood and stretched. She looked at Xander, motioning her head towards the basement door when she caught his eye. He nodded, slipping from Cas’ hold. She looked over at Gabriel.

“You two go on. I’ll be down in a bit.” He smiled softly at her.

Together, the two omegas disappeared into the basement and their nest. They’d chosen Bobby’s bunker for it’s protection and its seclusion. With Gabriel’s help and magic, they had turned it into their own personal fortress of comfort and solitude. Blankets, pillows, thick rugs and all manner of other such items littered the round room, the fan overhead moving in slow, lazy circles. Aria pulled the door shut behind them as Xander toed off his shoes and collapsed onto the mass of plush pillows at the center. She kicked her shoes off and padded over to him, picking up a small black and brown plush animal. It was a little dog she’d had Gabriel conjure as a surprise for the little pup, and as she sank down next to him, she held it out.

The small blond reached out and took it from her, looking at her with wide eyes and a tight smile on his lips. “For...me?”

“All for you, Pup. I figured it might help you calm down.”

She should have expected the hug, but it caught her off guard and they tumbled back against the pillows with a small laugh. She tucked him against her, pulling a blanket over them both, and hummed softly. He clung to the stuffed animal, slowly slipping into that pup-space where he didn’t have to worry about anything more than that moment and being taken care of. She didn’t remember falling asleep, but when she opened her eyes again she could feel Gabriel wrapped around her from behind. She snuggled back against him, letting her eyes close again as she breathed in the scents of the two other omegas.

“Aria?”

Who the hell was that and what the hell did they want? One light green eye opened, blinking rapidly to adjust to the near-total darkness of the room. They were still in their nest, but it had gotten a bit cool. August had long since become September and autumn was setting in. Sioux Falls was not the deep south, and the air was turning bitterly cold very fast. She shivered a bit and sat up, wincing at the soft whine it garnered from Xander, and looked about for its source. She could just make out several dark shapes in the doorway.

“Wha’d’you want?” She muttered groggily.

“Come on. We’re taking you and Xander out for a bit of fun. The others are all asleep.” That was Charlie’s voice. She could only assume that the other shapes were Max, Renee, and Samandriel. Aria rubbed at her eyes with the heels of her hands.

“You realize how much trouble we’ll get into, right? Sneaking out without our alphas, without anyone knowing where we’re at or where we’re going.”

“Come on, Aria.” It was Max now, crouched behind Charlie and motioning for her to join them. “Live a little. You guys have been killing yourselves. Let’s go have some fun.”

“Living a little isn’t worth hurting a lot. Not really in the mood for punishment thre-two days before I have to be subjected to cruel and sadistic examination. They’ll be hard enough on their own, I don’t need to add not being able to sit to the equation.” She gave them her best bitchface, though she knew they couldn’t see it.

“You’ll only get in trouble if you get caught.”

“Have you been sleeping for the last month? I don’t have to get caught in the act. Michael, Sam, Christine, Dean, Cas...they’ll know. They won’t have to be told. It’s trouble either way.”

“Then I’ll take the blame. I kidnapped you. How’s that?”

“Surprise adoption!” Renee corrected from beyond the door, and Aria couldn’t help but smile.

“Guys…”

“Can we go? Please?” She turned to see Xander looking at her, his green eyes pleading as he clutched the plushie to his chest.

She was going to protest, but Gabriel spoke up before she could open her mouth.

“Go. I’ll cover for you.” He snapped his fingers as a manifestation of both of them appeared. She poked the one that looked like her, but jerked her hand away when it met lifelike flesh and bone. That was...creepy and just a bit badass. “Stop being jealous and go.”

In the end, going had been easy. They had slipped out through the basement door, listening for anything that would indicate they had been heard. They made it to the edge of the scrap yard and vanished, Samandriel carrying them off as silently as possible. They ended up sitting by a lake somewhere warm, enjoying the quiet of the night and watching the stars twinkle against their inky purple-black backdrop. It was near morning, the farthest edges of the sky slowly turning as the sun struggled to rise and start the day, when they decided to head back. They didn’t want to risk being caught out when everyone else woke up.

If only they had been so lucky. Michael and Cas stood at the edge of the property like sentinels, arms crossed over their chests and faces set to stoney masks. Both omegas stopped short before they even saw them. Could they still run? Would it be worth it? She had known it would happen, yet she had gone regardless and she had allowed the younger omega to go, too. It was entirely her fault. Charlie and Max began to take the blame but one look from Michael, his eyes burning redder than any hellhound’s, had them shutting their mouths with an audible snap. She glanced over to find Samandriel standing in front of Renee, blocking the beta from the incensed alphas, and looking as though he were about to take flight again to get her to safety.

The group disbanded, the four betas slinking off, skirting around the alphas with as wide a breadth as they possibly could. She couldn’t move, couldn’t even look up, the weight of his rage pressed down on her so hard. She wished the ground would swallow her up. Maybe she could hide out with Lucifer in the cage. That was preferable to what she was feeling at the moment. She could smell them both, the air thick with scorching alpha rage, disappointment, and something she was hesitant to consider worry.

“Inside.” His voice was like ice and fire. She nodded, squaring her shoulders and moving past him towards the house. She expected the pup to follow, but felt instead an emptiness beside her. She turned at Cas’ exclamation.

“Xander!”

She froze. He was...running. The smell of pure terror masked everything else, clouding her mind. She had to get to him, she had to help him, she had to-

“Stop.” Michael growled in her ear. She didn’t realize she’d run past him, or that she had even moved. He held her tight, immobile between his chest and forearm. She wanted to struggle, to break free, but that voice...he’d given a command and her body was following it even when her mind didn’t want to. She could do nothing but watch helplessly as Castiel took off after him with a roar. She flinched, turning into Michael’s chest with a whine as Castiel took the omega to the damp ground, pinning him effortlessly.

She tried to block out the whining, fearful whimpers that were so clear even from so far away, but she couldn’t. He was her pup, or at least as good as, and she had let this happen. He was scared and confused and it was entirely her fault.

“Please, don't punish him. I'll take it, whatever it is, his and mine. Just don't let Cas hurt him.” She murmured against his flannel shirt. She wanted to cry, or scream. She wasn't sure that either option would do her much good. His fingers grazed over the back of her neck tenderly before tightening like a vice and ripping her backwards far enough so that he could look down at her.

“His punishment will be his to bear. As is Gabriel’s, as is yours. You cannot save them, just as they cannot save you. Inside. Now.” He snarled, red eyes flashing dangerously as he pushed her away from him and towards the house. She bowed her head, flinching as the sharp whines of Xander floated around her on the breeze. She stumbled as she reached the steps, but he was behind her, pushing her forward. The scents of fear, shame, and disappointment smothered her as she entered the house and she looked to her left to see Sam and Christine sitting on the sofa, talking quietly. Gabriel was kneeling between them on the bare floor, head down and shoulders slumped forward, and they were completely ignoring him.

She opened her mouth to say something, anything that might make things better, but shut it quickly when she caught Sam’s gaze. He wasn’t angry. His eyes weren’t red. It was the disappointment and the resignation that cut her words from her tongue. She swallowed roughly and ran up the stairs, Michael still on her heels. The moment he closed the door behind him and threw the lock, she collapsed on her knees to the floor, shaking and fighting back tears. She knew they shouldn’t have gone, but she was weak when it came to giving in to her little ones. This was entirely her fault. Why couldn’t they see that? Why did the others have to be punished for her mistakes?

“You are not to speak unless spoken to. You are not to leave this house with the exception of the examinations. You will not step foot in the nest.” Every word he said vibrated through her, cutting her to her core. She nodded. He was commanding it; they weren’t mated and she had no idea how he had such power over her without that bond. “You will do what is asked of you, without complaint, regardless of who asks it. The only exception to this is mating. You are mine.”

She nodded again, unable to do anything else.

“This will remain in place until I return.” Her head shot up at his words, eyes wide and uncertain. Return? He was leaving? Again?

“Speak.” He sighed heavily. He knew she wanted to say something, and he was being merciful in letting her.

“You’re leaving again.” Her voice was tiny, but loud in the silence of the room. “You-You’ll be back for the exams?”

“Perhaps.”

“But I can’t...I can’t do them on my own.” Her fingers moved up to toy with the collar she wore. “You want me to fail. If I fail, you don’t have to put up with me anymore.”

The scent of his ire flared around her, making her flinch.

“Do not presume to know what I want, omega. You will pass, with or without me, and when I return, you will receive your punishment for this, and any other transgressions.” He growled deeply.

“You know I can’t pass it without you. They’ll take me away from you, from everyone. I won’t go.”

“What do you mean, you won’t go?” he demanded.

“I won’t go.” She fingered the myriad of scars that decorated the soft parts of her forearms. She’d had problems as a teen, had made mistakes. “If I fail, if they try, there won’t be a place in Hell hot enough for me.”

In a blink, she was pinned by her neck on the floor, the archangel looming over her. She looked up at him defiantly even as she bared her neck in submission. His growl reverberated through her and she cried out as his open palm connected with her cheek. He blinked and when he opened his eyes again, they were almost gentle. He stroked her burning cheek with his knuckles, a warmth spreading over the skin where his strike had landed.

“Don’t ever speak of such things again.”

“Don’t leave me.” She didn’t want to admit to the empty feeling she had when he wasn’t around.

“If I stay, you will fail your examinations by proxy. It's taking every ounce of control I possess not to punish you, little one. You anger me so, and I fear I will ruin you beyond recognition if I give in to it. I will return when I have calmed my anger. Until then, you will do as I have stated.” He vanished in a flurry of feathers and she was left alone, again, on the floor.

She stayed there, curling in on herself as tears threatened to fall. He could be back tomorrow, or he could never be back at all. The metal around her neck suddenly felt heavy and cold. She was such a mess, she wouldn’t really blame him if he didn’t return. She wouldn’t want a defective omega either. A sharp wail brought her from her thoughts and she scrambled to her feet. She flew out of the room and down the stairs. She followed it through the living room and kitchen, only stopping at the back door. She didn’t stop by choice, she simply couldn’t move any further.

“No! Please, no!” Cas was dragging a screaming Xander towards a single sturdy post that had probably been part of a fence at one point. Xander was struggling, fighting against him as tears streamed from his emerald eyes. He was pulling back, trying to wrench his arm from the angel’s grasp, but Castiel wasn’t letting go. He jerked the omega forward, causing him to land hard on his knees in the dirt, and shackled him to the post. Heavy chains attached to the post and hooked to thick leather cuffs around Xander’s wrists and neck, giving him less than a foot of space to move away.

His shirt was gone, as were his pants, leaving him in nothing more than a pair of omega briefs. He couldn’t stand, the chains didn’t give him enough room. Cas seemed to be saying something, but she was having a hard time hearing him. She managed to catch a few snippets of his one-sided conversation, and she didn’t care for any of it.

“Selfish.”

“Disobedient.”

“Idiotic.”

“Bad influence.”

The verbal tear-down was hard enough to listen to, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as watching the angel pull out what seemed to be a leather flogg. He raised it amidst cries and begging for forgiveness and mercy, and brought it down against the small omega’s back sharply. She thought she should have been grateful that he wasn’t using his full strength, but in the growing light of morning, she could already see angry red welts forming on the milky flesh.

It dragged on for what felt like hours, but couldn’t have been more than a few minutes. By the time the angel stepped away, Xander was leaning heavily against the post, shaking and silent. His back, shoulders, and thighs were covered in crisscrossed welts of scarlet, and she could smell the blood where some had broken through the abused skin.

She turned her gaze to the angel, his hand shaking as the flogg fell to the ground. All of his anger seemed to dissipate and it left him looking worn out. She could smell the self-loathing that radiated from him at what he had done, but he wasn’t regretful. He unchained Xander, letting the chains fall against the post with a hard clinking sound, and wrapped the boy in his trenchcoat. He lifted him easily, ignoring the whines and weak attempts the omega made to push him away, and carried him back inside. Aria shrank back at the glare the angel gave her, her eyes turning to the linoleum floor as he pushed past her.

She didn’t see Xander or Castiel for the rest of the day, and no one, it seemed, was willing to talk to her. She deserved that, she supposed. It might not have been her idea to start, but she was the eldest, was supposed to be the voice of reason and sensibility. She had failed them, but worst of all she had failed her pup. He was hurting because of her. How the hell was she supposed to fix that when she couldn’t say or do anything she wasn’t told to? Gabriel had been bound, unable to use his magic for anything under Sam’s command. He wasn’t allowed in the nest, either. Every time she passed him, he was kneeling, prostrate on the floor at one of his alpha’s feet and staring at the floor.

Renee, Max, Samandriel, and Charlie seemed to get the hint and spent most of the day out of the house, wandering through the scrap yard or maybe just escaping from the overwhelming tension that permeated the house. She was scrubbing the bathroom floor when she caught Dean’s scent. She turned, glancing over her shoulder to find him leaning against the door jamb. There was some indecipherable emotion in his forest eyes and his lips were pressed into a thin line.

“When you finish in here, you need to go fix lunch.” He said, but it lacked his usual gruffness. “Cas said to tell you he would take care of Xander. You’re not allowed near him.”

She stiffened, dropping the brush to the floor.

“He thinks you’re a bad influence. Something about your defect rubbing off on him.”

“My ‘defect?’ I’m not defective. I’m just...different.” She had meant to scream the words, but they didn’t even sound angry. She sounded defeated even to herself. She didn’t even fight the tears that prickled hotly at the backs of her eyes. She ignored the way the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, ignored the smell of leather and gunpowder and apples. She jumped a bit when a large, warm, calloused hand brushed at the nape of her neck and suddenly she was surrounded by calming pheromones.

“You’re still a pain in my ass, I doubt that’s going to change, but I know what it feels like to blame yourself for everything that goes sideways. Trust me when I tell you it isn’t your fault. You are responsible for your actions. No one else’s.” He was crouching beside her now, close enough to give comfort but not enough to be mistaken for intimacy.

“I’m supposed to protect him. If no one else, him. The others...they’re beta. They get it easy enough. They get to make their own choices and the repercussions for failure aren’t so bad. They make mistakes, and that’s okay. They can try again later. Alphas don’t seem to make mistakes at all, at least as far as society is concerned. Alphas can do no wrong. They always know best, even when it’s clear that they don’t.” She sat back, pulling her knees up to her chest and trying to drown herself in the scent of leather. If she tried hard enough she could almost imagine it was Michael giving her comfort.

“Omegas, we’re ‘weak’ and ‘naive’ and ‘impressionable.’ We’re not supposed to be able to think for ourselves, or function on our own. It’s not right, or fair, or true. None of it. One wrong move for us can ends in death or worse. It’s my job to protect him from that.”

“Not anymore. Cas is his alpha. It’s Cas’ job to take care of him now.”

“He’s my pack! My pup! I’ll be damned if I let some knothead alpha take him away from me. He threatens my pup, he ever hurts him like that again, and I will rip his angelic throat out with my teeth.” She growled lowly.

His respondent growl was more than just a reaction. He seemed to understand what she was saying, even if he didn’t agree, but the threat to his friend, his brother, upset him. “See it from an alpha’s eyes. You could have been anywhere with anyone. You could have been hurt, killed, kidnapped. If a trafficker were to pick you up, either of you, we’d likely never find you.”

“Michael knew where I was. He said this,” she ran a finger over the collar, “would always let him know where I am.”

“Knowing where you are, and knowing who you’re there with and what’s going on there are different things.”

“He could have come to us. He has wings.”

“Yeah, I’ll give you that.”

“How did everything get so fucked up? When did humanity get so...messed up? I thought things were bad in our world, but compared to this it’s paradise.”

“Humans are savage. We’re murderous, bloodthirsty beasts. It’s what we are, and it’s not really something that can be changed.”

“You know, you’re a lot smarter than you look.” She quipped with a small smirk, cutting her eyes at him. She was tense for a moment, thinking maybe she had gone too far, but when his eyes sparkled in the dull light of the bathroom, she let out a breath.

“Keep it to yourself. I got a reputation to keep up.” He stood and let her go, taking a step back.

“Did we just have a moment?”

“Yeah. Don’t go expecting it to happen again.”

“Yeah, no worries. It’s kinda weird.”

“Shut up and scrub the floors.” His voice didn’t hold the same venom as it would have before. She nodded and picked up the brush, resuming her previous task. She didn’t feel any lighter for the talk, but she wasn’t so caught up in her own depression.


	8. Chapter 8

 

She hadn’t seen Xander in two days. He had barely been allowed out of the room he shared with Castiel, and it was tearing at her. Gabriel would give her something of a comforting look, but he wasn’t allowed to speak to anyone. She’d spent the majority of her time over the past forty-eight hours cleaning, cooking, cleaning again, and lying in her bed wishing she could sleep. She was exhausted, but the stress of everything and the fear of failing her exams were wearing on her.

Aria was curled in the middle of her bed, her nose buried in the shirt that still smelled like her alpha. The exams were the next morning, six hours away, she realized as she glanced at the clock. She knew Christine was there without even looking. The alpha hadn’t knocked or said a word and her footsteps were silent on the hardwood. The bed dipped behind her, but still she didn’t move.

“You need to sleep.”

“Wish I could.”

“Exams?”

“And about a million other things.”

“Xander?”

She nodded.

“He’s okay. Still sore, and a bit depressed, but he’s alright. He misses you.”

“I miss him, too. Cas is a dick. I want to punch him in his pretty face.” She expected admonishment, but Christine laughed instead. The alpha moved to lay behind her, wrapping herself around the omega.

“I can’t say I blame you, but I’d be wrong to encourage it.”

“I don’t need encouragement. Just an open window.”

“Can you try to stay out of trouble? Just for a little while?”

“You know me well enough to know the answer to that, love.”

“Yeah.”

They fell silent for a long time. It was comfortable and companionable, but there was something hanging over them, like a dark cloud just waiting to open up and drown them both.

“He hates me.”

“Who?”

“Michael. I don’t blame him. I hate me, too.”

“He doesn’t hate you. He’s just...entirely out of his depth. I don’t think he’s used to feeling things like what he feels around you.”

“He keeps leaving. He’s not going to be there tomorrow, and I’m going to fail. He wants me to fail. He won’t have to put up with a defective omega if they take me away.” She was resigned to her fate now, had spent two days coming to terms with it.

“You’re not defective. I’m sure he doesn’t want you to fail, and he’d kill anyone that even tried to take you anywhere. If he didn’t want you, he’d have taken the collar with him.” Her voice was firm, but comforting.

Aria rolled over, burying her face in the crook of the alpha’s neck and breathing in her scent. Spice and sugar and home and strength surrounded her as she cried silently. She wanted to believe what her friend was saying, but it was hard when everything she was was telling her she was worthless and wrong. Maybe Cas was right. Maybe she was defective, broken and messed up.

She woke up with her face buried in her pillows and Christine yanking her blankets off. It was getting into fall and the morning air was bitter cold. The omega curled in one herself for warmth, glaring weakly at the alpha.

“Up. Get a shower and get dressed. Exams are in two hours and it’s a forty-five minute drive.”

“Ten more minutes.”

“Now.”

“Five more minutes?”

“Aria…”

“Fine. I’m up.”

“You’re still in bed. Awake doesn’t equal up.”

“Does too.”

“Get. Up. Now.” The alpha’s growl reverberated throughout the room and the omega sullenly slid from the bed. The floor was cold against her bare feet, making her hiss softly. She hurried out of the room and into the bathroom at the far end of the hall. She showered quickly, most of the hot water already gone. She ended up rinsing the conditioner from her hair with something akin to ice before jumping out and wrapping herself in the thickest towel she could find.

She was dressed and in the kitchen soon after, wearing black omega pants, plain black flats, and the shirt that still smelled of Michael. He wouldn’t be there, she wasn’t expecting to see him for some time, but maybe just having something of him would give her the strength and comfort she needed. Dean glanced over at her, nodding slightly in the direction of the cushion at his feet. She shifted slightly, not feeling very hungry, but she needed to eat. She didn’t protest his silent command, slinking over and kneeling beside him, back straight with her hands on her thighs.

She couldn’t taste anything. She ate what he gave her, but she couldn’t have told him what it was. Her mind was much too focused on what lay ahead. The odds of her passing, especially without Michael, were slim. She had come to terms with the knowledge that she would likely never see the people around her after this, but that didn’t make it any easier to handle. It wouldn’t make good-byes any less painful or keep her tears at bay.

“Hey.” She was pulled from her thoughts at his gruff tone and the snap of his fingers in front of her face. Aria shook her head and blinked up at him owlishly. Had he said something? Had he asked her a question?

“Head outta the clouds. It’s time to get going.”

The car ride was tense and quiet. She was in the passenger seat, curled up against the door with the collar of her shirt pulled up to her nose as she tried to settle her nerves and the resulting queasyness that had settled over her. Cas was in the backseat with Xander, keeping himself between the two of them. He would glare coldly at her when he caught her glancing back at the other omega, a snarl on his lips, and she would duck her head and turn away again. She just wanted to make sure he was alright. Dean had rationalized that it would be best if only the four of them went. It would be less stress on the omegas, he had insisted, and less people in his car.

By the time they reached the Omega Registration and Testing Bureau, she was exhausted and ready to vomit. She wanted to crawl into the trunk and pray something sharp got to her. She was on her knees on the pavement the moment the car stopped, emptying her stomach amidst harsh, gasping sobs. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t get enough air in her lungs, and the world was spinning and pitching around her.

“She’s having a panic attack. Cas, get him inside. Get signed in. I’ll deal with her.” She could hear Dean, but it sounded like she was listening from the bottom of a barrel. Everything was muffled and blurry and dim. A weight pressed against her back and she wanted to scream. It wasn’t Michael, it wasn’t right. She tried to move away, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t do anything, and that was the problem. Her hands fisted in her hair as she bent double, her nails digging sharply into her scalp.

Pain. Pain was good. She could work with pain. In a moment of utter clarity, she raked her nails across the thin flesh on the underside of her forearm, pressing hard enough to cause welts. She did it again, tiny specks of blood pooling sporadically over the surface. Again, chunks of flesh came off under her nails, salty tears landing on the exposed wounds and making them burn. She pulled back for another pass, but a large hand closed over her own and ripped it back. The owner of the hand was yelling now, growling at her for being so stupid, for being reckless, for being weak. Or maybe those words were coming from her own mind. Aria couldn’t be sure anymore of what was real and what wasn’t.

A slap against the cheek sent her into the side of the Impala and roused her from her stupor. She looked up, one hand pressed over her abused cheek, and found Dean looking at her with a mix of worry, fear, and sadness. Why was he looking at her like that? Like she had done something wrong, something bad. She couldn’t remem-oh. Her eyes flickered down to the mess on her forearm. She had done that, hadn’t she? Blood was smeared over the pale flesh, four deep gouges running diagonally from the outside of her elbow to the inside of her wrist. She chuckled.

“What the-why the hell are you laughing?”

“I look like I’ve been playing with a Hellhound.” She chortled again, but it was hollow. “God, I’m a mess. He’s gone one day, and look at me. I’m pathetic. I-I can’t function like this. I can’t think or breathe or feel anything. What the hell is happening to me?”

“Rejection.”

“What?”

“You’ve convinced yourself that he’s rejected you. It’s killing you.”

“Has he?”

“No.” She froze for a moment, everything in and around her going still as the scent of lavender, hot steel, and leather surrounded her. She wanted to sink back into it and let it carry her away somewhere, anywhere else. Instead, she curled in on herself again. He was still mad, she could feel it. Then why was he here?

“Took you long enough.” Dean growled at him. He pushed himself to his feet and disappeared around the trunk. Michael loomed over her, a cold, hard shadow against the light of the sun.

“You think you can hurt yourself and everything will be forgiven in the hopes that you’ll cease such foolishness?”

She shook her head.

“Then why?”

“Pain...helps me focus. Helps me think. I couldn’t feel...I thought, pain is a feeling, right?” She said brokenly, her voice cracking. Her knees were starting to hurt where the asphalt bit at them through the thin fabric of her pants. She trained her mind on that. It was easier than focusing on him, on the way he was looking at her, so disappointed and angry. If he hadn’t rejected her before, he certainly would now.

Strong arms wrapped around her from behind, lifting her to her feet. She didn’t fight, didn’t protest. At least now...at least she would know. He turned her around. She closed her eyes tight, head tilted, neck exposed. She expected him to rip away her collar, to shatter it along with the rest of her. She didn’t expect warm breath and soft lips against her jaw, or his cheek to rub against hers. He...he was scenting her, marking her without actually doing so. She felt her soul calming beneath his touches.

“Why me?” She breathed out, eyes still closed in fear that if she opened them, it would all disappear like dreams do.

“I don’t know.” He sounded...lost. Uncertain. He wasn’t used to not understanding. He pulled back, straightening them both up and brushing out her slightly rumpled clothes. Warmth spread through her arm, and when she glanced down she saw only four pink lines on her skin.“We’ll figure it out later.”

With that, her leash appeared, the leather strap in his hand, and he led her towards the building. She just hoped she got a ‘later’ to figure it out in.

Cas had signed them in and sat in one of the plush looking armchairs in the waiting room. Xander, she noted, knelt at his feet on the bare marble. He was the picture of obedience, and not once did he raise his gaze to meet her own. Michael took a seat and she dropped to the marble beside him. Fear kept her from moving, kept her from grimacing at the cold or shifting at the hardness. She had to pass, or at least try her best. She had to.

“Castiel.” A short beta with long red hair called from a doorway she hadn’t seen. Cas stood and headed towards her, Xander following several steps behind with his head bowed. They disappeared through the door and Aria swallowed. She wished suddenly that she had tried harder, studied more, been better. A wave of pheromones swept over her, filling her senses with calming lavender.

“Relax.”

They were gone for almost two agonizing hours, and when they reappeared from behind the door, Xander looked pale and worn. He seemed to be relieved, however, as Castiel led him away by his leash. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips and his eyes seemed much less clouded by worry and stress.

“Michael,” the same redheaded beta called from the doorway. He stood and she followed, keeping several steps behind him as she focused on the floor and calming her racing pulse. Her head was starting to spin and she knew she was getting close to losing it again. He stopped and so did she.

“Please, have your omega strip and take a seat on the examination table. The doctor will be in shortly to perform the physical examination.” With that, they were left alone in the room. He released her leash, tucking it away inside his pocket, and helped her remove her coat. She was in a daze, not sure where she was anymore or what was going on. The only thing she could focus on was the angry roiling feeling in the pit of her stomach and the voice in her head screaming at her that she was going to fail, that she wasn’t good enough, that she deserved to be taken away.

Aria shivered as the cold air hit her exposed flesh and looked down to find herself completely nude. Her cheeks flamed with embarrassment and she looked everywhere but at Michael. He’d seen her in her underwear, yes, but now she was completely exposed with nowhere to hide. She closed her eyes and pulled in a deep breath. Maybe he hadn’t noticed the extra flab or the pooch of her stomach or the softness of her thighs. She knew she wasn’t in great shape, that muscle was buried beneath fat and that it was in no way attractive, but she’d lost some weight and that had to count for something.

She opened her eyes again and jerked back in surprise. He was looking at her, his eyes moving over every exposed inch of flesh like a starving man would a rack of lamb. His dark eyes glinted in the florescent lights and she looked away again, trying to cover herself as best she could with her hands and arms. She was climbing onto the table, a cold, unpadded slab of steel, as the door opened again and the doctor entered. He was alpha and he was big. She wanted to shrink away as he drew towards her, wanted to crawl into Michael’s lap and beg him to take her home.

The doctor ignored her and turned to look at Michael.

“Are there any outstanding medical problems with the omega?”

Michael glanced in her direction as he replied, “No, I don’t believe so.”

“Has the omega received her vaccinations?”

“Yes.”

“When did the omega present?”

“About a month ago. She was turned against her will.”

“I see. And when was the omega’s first heat?”

“Never. She hasn’t had one yet.”

“Hmmm.” He wrote something on his clipboard, the scratch of the pen against paper too loud in the otherwise silent room.

“Age?”

“25.”

“Status?”

“Unmated.”

He made a few more notes and turned to look at her. His eyes were piercing and cold, and he looked at her as though she were little more than an animal. She kept her eyes firmly on his chest as she swallowed.

“Lay.” He ordered, snapping on a pair of black rubber gloves. The command made her want to kick him in his chubby face, but she quelled the urge and did as he told her, hissing softly at the cold bite against her skin. He poked and prodded every inch of her body, making notes on his clipboard as he went, and she was sure she would have bruises from his hard, uncaring touch.

He didn’t say a word as he forced her into stirrups and began a rather painful pelvic exam. He didn’t seem happy about something.

“The omega isn’t producing slick.”

“She’s never gone into heat. Why would she?” Michael countered from his place across the room. His eyes were rimmed in red and she could smell his agitation. He didn’t like the way the alpha was manhandling her anymore than she did, it would seem.

“We’ll just have to force it, then.” The burly alpha sneered at her as he reached into his coat pocket with one hand. He roughly shoved two fingers inside her and pressed something hard against the bundle of nerves there. A second later, jolts of electricity shot through her, setting her nerve endings ablaze. Was that her screaming? She couldn’t tell. Her entire body spasmed, muscles clenching and unclenching rapidly against the onslaught.

When he finally pulled away, she couldn’t move, or think, or breathe. Everything was numb and the corners of her vision were blurry and dark. She could hear him talking, could hear Michael’s tight response, but she didn’t understand a word of it. Muscles jerked painfully at random and in the back of her mind, she felt ashamed and weak. She was letting this happen. Why wasn’t she stopping it? Why wasn’t Michael helping her? Was he enjoying her pain?

She didn’t remember the rest of the exam, but as she dressed on autopilot with trembling limbs, she realized he was very thorough. Five large vials of blood sat next to the table, and sitting was painful. She assumed he’d done a rectal exam, too. She felt dirty, wholly and deeply unclean. She needed a shower. No, she need to scrub every inch of her flesh until it bled and then she needed to soak in tub of acid.

The next exam was simple enough. She was given a command and judged on how quickly and efficiently she followed it. She vaguely recalled a few whispered praises, and she thought that might have been a good thing, but she was still too focused on the fact that she felt like an overused dishrag to care. Endurance came next.

“Present.” Were they talking to her? She glanced around in a stupor, lost and unsure of what was going on.

“Present.” The command came again, and the alpha before her looked annoyed that she hadn’t done so the first time. She cocked her head. What did he mean by that? She didn’t have a gun, or a saber. What on earth did she have to-oh, right. She fell to her knees, then her elbows, pressing her face against the floor. He corrected her posture, kicking her legs out wide to either side and pressing her chest against the hard floor.

“Remain until told otherwise,” was all the instruction she received. She tried to count the minutes, but ended up losing track pretty early on. Her back ached, her legs were shaking something awful and her muscles were still aching from the electroshock. She glanced towards Michael from the corner of her eye, suddenly remembering that he was there. His red-rimmed blue eyes caught her own. Not once did he look away, holding her gaze and somehow her entire attention until the command to kneel was given.

She struggled to push herself up, but managed in the end. Aria wondered how much more her body could handle. She racked her mind, trying to figure out what was left to do. Shit. Temperament. Maybe it was a good thing that came last, because she was honestly too tired to fight anymore.

Three alphas surrounded her, sneering and growling, vying for dominance and demanding submission. Slurs and jeers were thrown at her, each more colorful and demeaning than the next. She simply looked up at them all, head cocked and eyes wide in confusion. She lived with a slew of alphas, only one of which had any sway over her, and even that was minimal.

“Stop!” A sharp, deep growl filled the room. The alphas looked at her with mixed emotions of anger, frustration, and disbelief. At that one growl, she was flat on her back on the floor, the long column of her neck exposed, eyes closed, and limbs spread like a starfish; the perfect picture of total submission. Her mind was hazy, her entire being focused on the scents of hot steel and lavender, and a soft whine fell from her parted lips. She blinked as a blurry figure knelt close by her side, a gentle hand against her cheek.

“Aria.” Michael. She leaned into his touch, purring at the sense of peace it brought her.

“Stupid bitch.” One of the other alphas growled. Michael responded with a snarl and she flinched as fear wrapped around her with icy tendrils.

“The examinations are complete. Please wait here for your final results.” Here? Where was here? She felt warm. Too warm, really, and everything sounded muffled. Green eyes fluttered open. She was in Michael’s lap, his arms around her and her nose pressed tight against his neck. His pheromones swirled in a thick, heavy cloud around her and all she wanted to do was sleep.

“Shhhh, don’t cry, little one. It’s alright. You did so well.” He praised, his lips against her cheek. Was she crying? Maybe. Her eyes hurt, but so did the rest of her, so it was hard to tell.

“Home,” she managed to choke out, her voice small and broken to her own ears.

“Just as soon as we can, pet.”

She wanted to growl at him for that (she wasn’t a pet, she was a person), but she didn’t have the strength.

“Michael.”

He stood effortlessly, still holding her tight against his chest.

“Congratulations. Here are your papers and tags, as well as individual exam results should you wish to work on the omega’s weaker aspects once you get home.” The redhead lead them out.

They were in the car, Metallica humming softly in the distance, and she hadn’t moved an inch since he’d picked her up. He’d tried to put her in her own seat, but she clung to him, begging him not to leave her, not to let them take her away, so he had situated them both in the passenger seat. She was unconscious before they left the parking lot.


	9. Chapter 9

 

The ride back to Bobby’s was a blur. She felt warm and safe, but exhausted all the same. She dozed off and on, and must have fallen asleep, because the moment they hit the driveway and the Impala lurched, she jerked awake. Wide eyes looked around, uncertain of where she was or what was going on, until they landed on him. Michael still held her, but his touch was different somehow. It was almost...possessive. She remembered the look in his eyes as he’d looked her over, the hungry, needy gleam and the way his pupils had blown wide with want. She swallowed and looked away.

“You healed me.” It wasn’t a question. She was still tired, but the pain was gone and she felt less like a dead woman walking and more like a college freshman.

“Yes. It only seemed right. You were in pain.”

“And you’re an angel. I get it.” He tilted her face up with one finger beneath her chin, forcing her to meet his intense gaze. He didn’t speak, just stared for an eternity before brushing his lips over her’s in an almost tender kiss.

“Not in my car!” Dean growled, pulling to a stop and putting the car in park.

Neither pulled away, both of them wishing to annoy the other alpha and enjoy the moment of peace. It wasn’t like it was going to last, and they knew it. Peace rarely ever did. Aria broke first, pulling away with a giggle as Dean’s rumbling growl filled the cabin of the car. She caught the brief upturn of Michael’s lips before he opened the passenger door and climbed out with her in his arms. He sat her gingerly on her feet, keeping hold of her in fear that her balance would falter. When she remained steady, he moved away, but his hand remained firmly planted against the small of her back.

Cas and Xander followed suit, moving past them and up the steps to the front door. Cas was still cold towards her, but the brief eye contact Xander managed, together with the smile on his lips, told her that things would be well soon enough. She winked at him and moved to follow, her angel on her heels.

“I would kill for a hot bath an-” her words were cut short as she looked around the living room. It was clean. Immaculately clean. No stacks of books, no dirty glasses, not a speck of dust. All of the furniture was gone, save for Bobby’s desk, and a large banner screamed ‘CONGRATULATIONS!’ in a rainbow of neon colors over the doorway to the kitchen. She looked closer and laughed. ‘On not failing miserably!’ was written beneath it at an angle in black Sharpie.

Without preamble, a loud, thumping beat filled the air and everyone appeared out of nowhere. Balloons, confetti, streamers...everything one needed for a proper party decorated the room, and with a snap of his fingers, Gabriel had a strobe light going in each corner. She was overcome with a sense of joy and in an instant all of her previous stress was gone. It was amazing what a good beat could do. Then she realized the song.

“Really, Renee? ‘Shake it Off?’ You went there?” She yelled over the music, unable to hide her smile.

“You shouldn’t have expected anything less,” the tiny brunette replied.

Arms wrapped around her and she was pulled back until she met with something solid. Aria turned to find Xander being shoved against her, Christine forcing them together and she laughed and bounced to the beat.

“Random dance party!”

That was how it started, all five of them bouncing and moving to random songs that seemed to come out of nowhere. ‘Shake it Off,’ ‘Victorious,’ ‘Problem,’ Stand By You,’ and various others all played in no particular order. Somewhere along the way, other’s joined. Sam was first, pulled into the fray by Gabriel and made to stay by Christine. Charlie didn’t need much in the way of persuading, just Max tugging her out of the corner. Aria pointed out a confused looking Samandriel to Renee who responded with a wicked grin.

“Come on, Cinnamon Roll! Join the fun!” He looked even more confused at that.

“Who is Cinnamon Roll?” He asked with a shake of his head as he took a tentative step towards the mass of bodies moving horribly out of sync in the middle of the room.

“You. You’re her lil’ Cimmanon Roll!” Aria grabbed his arm and tugged him forward, unintentionally sending him careening into the aforementioned ‘her’ and knocking them both to the floor. “This is where you kiss her!”

“I think you’re a little drunk!” Max yelled over the din. She probably wasn’t wrong. Between Christine, Gabriel, and the hunters in residence, she’d be more shocked if the drinks weren’t laced with something.

“I think you’re pro’lly not wrong!” Aria yelled back, louder than was necessary. The party continued around them, the song changing to, ironically, ‘Angel With a Shotgun.’ Xander managed to get Cas into the throng, but the angel was completely lost. Dean and Bobby sat laughing so hard they were bent nearly double at the sight. Michael seemed content to lean against the far wall, safely out of reach of flailing limbs and uncoordinated bodies, but his eyes never left her.

Two hours later found her more than a little drunk, sitting against the wall with her head on Christine’s shoulder. Sam sat next to them, his long legs stretched out and his arms wrapped firm around Gabriel who was well beyond plastered and trying to climb him. She had to admire his dedication, that much was certain.

“How’re you three doing? How’s the whole...two alphas, one omega thing workin’ out?” Her words were a bit slurred, but if anyone could understand them, it would be the only slightly less intoxicated alpha. The shoulder beneath her head moved a fraction in a half hearted shrug.

“We’re good. Sam isn’t incredibly jealous or aggressive, and neither am I, so there’s not much tension there. Gabriel responds to both of us differently, and that works, too.”

“What’dya mean?”

“Well...with Sam, he’s cheeky, sassy. He knows Sam doesn’t mind it. He has a habit of topping from the bottom where Sam’s concerned. With me, he’s more submissive, less...eager to push buttons. He tried to pin me the first time we...yeah...didn’t really end well for him.” She waved a hand absently towards the omega in question. “It’s an unusual dynamic, but it works, and that’s what matters.”

“Have you mated?”

“No. Not yet. Gabriel’s next heat’s mine, though.” Her eyes flashed red for a moment as she looked appraisingly at the drunken archangel still squirming in Sam’s lap.

“That’s good. I’m happy for you. You got what you wanted, Gabriel and a penis. Plus, a moose.” Aria gave her a lazy grin. She was jostled a bit as Xander slid down the wall beside her, his head falling against her shoulder. He was flushed and sweaty like the rest of them, and his eyes were slightly glazed from the alcohol in his system, but he was happy.

“How’s it goin’, Pupcake?” Aria wrapped an arm around his neck, pulling his head down to rest against her chest.

“Good. Tired.” He panted softly, still slightly out of breath. “Glad to see the party wasn’t a bust.”

She followed his gaze to see Max and Charlie slipping out the back door. Renee and Samandriel were curled around each other, unconscious against the far wall. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves. “We’ll have to thank everyone when they’re sober enough to appreciate it.”

“Yep. So, what’cha talkin’ ‘bout?” Xander asked, nuzzling against her collarbone as his eyes closed.

“Christine’ sex life. Wanna join?” She giggled. It wasn’t like she had anything to share.

“Nothing to say. Cas’ said we have to wait ‘til my heat.” He seemed to be pouting at that, and the older omega nodded in understanding.

“I feel ya, pup. Captain Grumpypants is the same way.”

“Tha’s not v’ry nice.” He murmured as he slowly dozed off.

“Neither is he. I’m still waiting for my punishment.” She wasn’t overly worried about said punishment. Honestly she was too wasted to care at that point.

“Cas is still mad at you.” His words were getting more and more distant.

“I know. He’ll get over it.”

“Yeah...I hope so.” The omega slid down until his head was in her lap.

“He’s too cute. I don’t wanna move him.” She glanced at Christine, only to find the alpha leaned over on Sam, Gabriel curled between them and all three sound asleep.

“I’ll take him.” Cas’ gravely voice startled her as he knelt down to pick up Xander. She muttered a drowsy ‘thanks’ and watched him carry the boy up the stairs to their room. The music had died down, barely above a whisper now, and she and Michael were the only ones still awake. The archangel in question pulled her effortlessly to her feet and held her close, swaying gently to the song, ‘Say Something.’

“I thought you couldn’t dance.” She quipped, cheek pressed to his chest, her eyes closed as her arms wrapped tight around his waist.

“I never said I couldn’t. I’ve been around for a long time. Picking up a few dance moves was inevitable, I’m afraid.”

She poked him in the ribs. “Smartass.”

They were in her room when she opened her eyes again. She must have been sleeping heavily because she didn’t remember going to bed. A heavy arm was resting around her middle and a warmth surrounded her. She shifted, rolling over to press her face against the crook of his neck, and closed her eyes again. His hold tightened and a contented sigh slipped past her lips before she could think to stop it.

“You do know I don’t sleep, don’t you?” His voice was deep and heavy in the darkened silence of the room. She pretended not to hear him, choosing instead to press her nose more firmly against his neck. She drew in his scent, letting it fill her up completely. The omega in her wanted to mewl, to beg for more, but she stayed silent. She wasn’t some weak little thing that gave in to impulse, and she refused to beg for anything. If he wanted her, he’d have to work for it.

Michael seemed to understand this, too. He took her silence as a challenge, a soft growl rumbling in his chest. She thought maybe the sound should frighten her. Instead, it excited her, sent her pulse racing and her heart pounding against her ribs. She swallowed her budding anxiety and with a small smirk, she pressed a kiss to his pulse point, her teeth raking lightly over the skin as she pulled away. She moved back until her eyes could meet his, her lip between her teeth as she tried to read his reaction.

His steely eyes were almost entirely red, only thin rings of blue remaining around the pupils. He was watching her every move as she tried to ease herself out from beneath his arm. She almost succeeded, ready to bolt from the bed. A little game of chase couldn’t hurt, right? He seemed to read her mind and the moment she slipped free, he had her pinned face-down on the bed. Damn, but he was fast. Strong, too, and deliciously warm as he covered her body with his own. He wasn’t even trying to keep his weight off of her as he straddled her waist, using her thighs as a seat and leaning forward to pin her hands to the bed on either side of her head.

“You’re trying to push me, aren’t you?” The words were little more than whispers, sending shivers down her spine as his lips brushed over the shell of her ear. “Why would you do that, I wonder…”

Aria couldn’t help but whine as he nipped at her earlobe. His usual scent swirled around her, leaden with the smells of hunger and need, and it was making her dizzy. She thought she’d been drunk from the alcohol, but it was nothing compared to how he left her feeling. She let out a shallow, shaky breath.

“So impatient,” he teased, kissing his way from her ear to her jaw. On instinct, her head fell to the side, offering him better access to the pale column of her throat. He didn’t take it, pulling away as she moved, a warm puff of breath ghosting over the sensitive skin and leaving goosebumps in its wake. She bit her lip to keep from huffing in protest, knowing it wouldn’t get her anything. “I still owe you a punishment, omega.”

She buried her face against the pillow, his rejection stinging a bit more than she had expected.

“How should I do it, hmm? Perhaps an agonizingly slow climb to bliss? Or better yet, I could take you to the very edge and leave you wanting. Is that befitting your crime?” Every word had her breath hitching just a bit more, and by the end of it she didn’t remember what breathing felt like. She whimpered softly into her pillow as she struggled to ignore the heat that was spreading through her traitorous body.

“No? I could do as my brother did. Strip you bare and beat you until you give in to me. Would you prefer that?” His tone turned hard and cold, his grasp on her wrists almost painful. “You said you like pain. How much, I wonder?”

She was about to answer, the words ready to fall from her parted lips, but a loud, keening whine cut her off. Instinct told her it was Xander and she struggled beneath Michael’s weight to try and get to him, but the angel wouldn’t let up. Instead he moved to the side, pulling her to him and pressing her nose back against the crook of his neck. Another sharp whine of distress filled the still air.

“Shhh. He’s alright. The first one is always the worst. He has Castiel with him.” His words did little to sooth her, and she tried to pull away from him again. Michael growled, the tone resonating with Alpha command, and she stilled. “He’ll be fine.”

She nodded, but a part of her didn’t believe him. She shut her eyes, trying to block out the pitiful sounds and fall back to sleep. She was just dozing off when the sounds changed. Understanding dawned on her and her face flushed. The fearful, pained cries were gone, replaced by keening whines, whimpers, and groans. Between the noises, she could hear snippets of words, begging for more, begging for...fuck. She buried her nose against the alpha’s chest, humming loudly to block it all out.

“You won’t be so modest when it’s you, little one.” The archangel laughed softly in her ear as his fingers carded through her hair.

“That doesn’t mean I want to hear your brother and my friend doing...that...in the next room! It’s just...no!” Her words only made him laugh harder. Through the lull in conversation she could hear the soft screams of the omega down the hall and she groaned.

“I will never be able to unhear this, you know that right? I will forever be scarred by this.”

“I doubt that.”

“Shut up,” she grumbled, “and stop laughing. This isn’t funny, ass.”

“Then I suppose it’s punishment enough. It seems to work better than my spanking you, at any rate.” He was still laughing, though it was a bit more subdued as if he were trying to placate her without really trying.

“Really?” She was hesitant to believe the angel. Would he really just overlook her punishment because of this?

“Yes. Besides, the way I understand it, you’ve been punishing yourself plenty in my absence.” His voice was soft, but serious.

She focused her gaze on his collarbone, her bottom lip tugged between her teeth. He heaved a sigh, his over dramatic act drawing a small smile to her lips.

“Promise me you will never do something so foolish again.” He pressed his lips to her forehead gently as he pulled her as close as she could get.

“I won’t, I swear.” Her lips brushed over his collarbone as she spoke, and the slight tremor that ran through him didn’t go unnoticed.

“Then you are forgiven. No punishment.”

“Seriously?” She pulled back enough to look up into his too blue eyes. She had to know that he wasn’t just messing with her.

“Have I ever lied to you?”

“No.”

“Then yes, I’m serious. Know, however,” his eyes darkened slightly, “if you ever do something like that again, I will not be so lenient, and I will not forgive it.”

She shivered at his words and gave a silent nod.

“I can’t hear you, omega.” His tone had turned sharp and demanding.

“Yes.”

“Yes...what?”

“Yes, alpha.” Her voice was small, and she couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye.

“Good. Now, get some sleep.” It was a command, his voice radiating through her to her very bones. Her eyes closed and within moments she was sleeping soundly.


	10. Chapter 10

 

Aria wasn’t entirely sure why it bothered her so much, but every time she caught sight of the bite mark Cas had ripped into Xander’s neck she wanted to punch something. Or someone. A very particular someone in a trenchcoat. She tried to reason that she was just being jealous and petty, but that didn’t seem to make the urge go away. So what if she was jealous? It wasn’t like Michael was going to mate with a loser like her anyways, right? Sure, he said he would, and he kept making not-so-subtle remarks about it, but the voice in her head that spent most of her life telling her she wasn’t good enough for anything and that she would never amount to anything was screaming loudly that he was too good for her. She’d be lucky, she had convinced herself, if she ever managed to find a mate at all.

Her ire only rose when, after a week of being MIA, Christine, Gabriel, and Sam all appeared with smug grins, smelling of musk. Gabriel proudly, and in her opinion rather brashly, flaunted his dual mating marks for all to see. Sam’s was long since healed over, but Christine’s was still a shredded pink mess of knitting flesh.

‘I’m being stupid,’ Aria thought as she scrubbed the kitchen counter fervently. It was well past clean, but she had to do something to keep herself occupied. Michael was gone, doing who knew what, and once again she was left alone to deal with the myriad of overwhelming emotions. The newly mated omegas were never more than a few steps from their alphas, and the betas were content to keep plenty of space between themselves and the rampage of estrogen and testosterone. She’d barely seen hide nor hair of Max or Renee in days. Her only company had been Bobby, and when he appeared, Dean.

“You aimin’ to scrub a hole through my countertop?”

Aria jumped. She’d been so lost, wallowing in her own self-pity, that she hadn’t heard the beta enter the kitchen. She eyed him warily as he opened the refrigerator and pulled out a cold beer.

“Sorry.” She muttered, looking back down at the counter just as he looked up. “Just got distracted is all.”

Bobby hummed as he popped the cap off of his bottle and dropped it in the trash. He stood there, watching her for a moment, before he took a swig of the brown liquid and wandered back into his living room.

Aria shook her head, trying to clear it, but it didn’t make any difference. She wiped down the counter, stowed the cleaning supplies, and trudged upstairs to her room. She’d have to start dinner soon, but until then, she wanted to lie in her bed and mope in peace.

It was another two days before Michael reappeared. He looked worn and exhausted, but his blue eyes seemed to sparkle as he caught sight of her. She’d been sitting on the front steps, hiding from the blissfully, and nauseatingly, happy couples inside when she’d heard the flutter of his wings. Aria had looked up just in time to catch his gaze and it left her feeling like there wasn’t enough oxygen in the air. She should have been used to it by then, it happened every time she saw him, or smelled him, or woke up wrapped in his arms and his wings. She wasn’t.

“Welcome back.” She muttered as she scuffed one shoe against the concrete step just below the one she sat on.

Michael said nothing. He moved towards her, his pace slow but steady and powerful. The man radiated power and oozed authority, and just watching him made her squirm a bit. He sat heavily next to her, dropping onto the step with all the grace and poise of an overwrung towel.

“That bad, huh?” She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

He merely hummed in agreement as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. The archangel buried his nose in her hair, breathing in her scent as he wrapped her in his grace and his wings. Aria didn’t move. She couldn’t have, even if she wanted to. He needed this for some reason, needed to be close to her, to feel her, and she couldn’t deny him. She doubted she’d ever be able to deny him anything at all.

The silence dragged for what seemed like hours before he spoke, his tone as bedraggled as the rest of him.

“My brother is causing a stir. Nothing I can’t handle.”

She didn’t ask which brother. It wasn’t a question. Lucifer liked wreaking havoc, it was his niche. If anyone was causing so much trouble that it had her alpha wary and worn, it would be Lucifer.

“Want me to kick his ass for you?” She asked, only half playful. She’d rip the angel to shreds if he dared touch anyone she cared about. The huffing laugh she received from the archangel left her feeling both better and slightly offended. Did he think she couldn’t handle Lucifer, or was he just too tired to care?

“Come, let’s go inside before you catch a chill.” He was avoiding the issue, then. Oh well. He would talk to her about it, or he wouldn’t. The omega couldn’t really force his hand.

“Not cold.”

“Wasn’t asking.”

Aria pulled free from his hold, poking her tongue out at him as she stood and brushed off the seat of her pants. She’d been sitting so long that her backside was numb, but she kept that to herself. He’d likely swat her just to see if she were telling the truth. She looked down at him again, hands on her hips.

“Well? You gonna get up, or am I going to bed alone? Again.” Aria cocked her head slightly. Sass, she decided, was the wrong tone to take. He stood too fast for her eyes to see, tossing her over his shoulder and carrying her into the house. She squealed, kicking her legs and wrapping her fists against his back, but it was like trying to punch a steel wall. The angel either didn’t notice or didn’t care as he carried her into the living room. He dropped into a chair, pulling her into his lap in one swift move.

“If I had it my way, little one, you would never sleep alone again.” He growled softly into her ear. Aria tried to suppress a shiver as her eyes darted around the room. Gabriel was happily snuggled on the floor between the legs of both of his alphas while said alphas were talking quietly amongst themselves. Xander and Cas were nowhere to be seem (she assumed they were upstairs being blissfully and disgustingly happy, doing things she didn’t even let herself think of). Renee and Samandriel had taken up the spot directly in front of the fireplace and were sitting shoulder to shoulder reading a book, and Max was standing near the window, chatting gleefully with Charlie on the phone, going on about some Con or another.

“Ignore them. They don’t matter.” He hissed as his teeth nipped at her jaw. How was she supposed to ignore them? They were all right there. Aria turned to look at him.

“Would you like something to eat?” She asked, trying to derail the archangel. “You missed dinner, but there’s plenty of leftovers. I could heat somethi-”

She was cut off as his lips found hers, his hands slipping into her hair. She couldn’t help the small mewl that left her as she pressed her hands feebly to his chest. She debated on if she wanted to shove him away or pull him closer, but she settled for fisting his shirt in her fingers and simply waiting it out. She was uncomfortable being in such an intimate position with everyone watching. Aria would admit to being a lot of things, but an exhibitionist had never been one of them, and she’d never pegged him as a voyeur.

Michael pulled away when she didn’t respond, an odd glint in his eyes. “Your defiance will fade, my dear, and I cannot wait for that moment.”

“I’d say don’t hold your breath, but you wouldn’t die, so go ahead.” She quipped, pushing herself away from him and rising to her feet. The low growl he let out in return made her heart flutter.

“Just wait, omega.” He promised as he pushed himself to his feet to tower over her. “Breaking you will be one of the most satisfying moments of my existence. Impertinent little minx.”

Aria winked up at him before slipping away and making her way towards the stairs. It had been a long day, or rather a long week, and she was exhausted. She paused on the first step and turned to look at him, a cheshire grin on her lips. “You know, you keep making these promises, but I’ve yet to see you actually do anything. I mean, I’m not surprised that you’re all talk and no action, you are an angel after all.”

She didn’t stick around to see if he would follow her. She knew he would. Aria bound up the stairs two at a time, then tore off down the hall. She slid to a halt in her room and closed the door behind her. She paused, listening for a moment, but was worried that she didn’t hear Michael in the hallway. She cracked open the door and glanced out, only to be caught around the waist from behind and pulled back inside. Aria let out a very undignified yelp as she was pulled off of her feet and dropped unceremoniously onto the bed. She feigned a glare at the alpha looming above her, but she couldn’t have mustered the heat for it if she’d wanted to. He was smiling, or rather smirking in a rather devious way, and it left her feeling warm and happy.

“You think I make empty promises, omega?” His voice was low, bordering on dangerous as he leaned over her, boxing her in with his arms on either side of her head. Aria shook her head, her bottom lip tugged between her teeth.

“Liar,” he growled as he inched closer. “You think I’m all talk, hm? You think I lack conviction?”

Aria swallowed deeply, her throat suddenly too dry. He was barely an inch away, his blue eyes rimmed in crimson with a feral smile on his lips. She shook her head again. “I-I was just kidding.”

“Hmmm…”the archangel hummed. Without warning, he captured her lips in a hard, demanding kiss. Aria was all too happy to return the favor, her hands moving up his chest and across his shoulders to slip into his hair. He growled, biting sharply at her lip as he ripped her hands away and pinned them above her head with one of his own. The show of dominance and the glowing garnet of his eyes had her feeling excited and terrified at the same time. Was this it? Was it actually going to happen?

The alpha pulled back, straddling her waist as he leaned over her. “Your heat will hit soon.”

She cocked her head in confusion, her brow furrowing as she looked up at him. What did that have to do with what was happening at the moment?

“The bond that forms during mating is soul deep, Aria. It is binding, and fatal if ever broken. Most couples don’t even feel it, and few know the depth of it. We have a chance to create something of immeasurable strength, but only if it is done correctly.” His voice was rough and velvet smooth at the same time, and she had no clue what to make of it. His eyes were blazing, piercing into her core, his hand was as hard as iron around her wrists, but his features were gentle, relaxed almost.

“I don’t understand. What’s that got to do with this?” She wriggled beneath him to emphasize her point.

He smiled, letting out a soft chuckle as he brushed her cheek with the knuckles of his free hand.

“My very essence was created of stardust and energy. I am ancient and immortal.” Michael loosened his grip on her wrists, sitting back and staring down at her. “Your soul, despite what you believe, is just as ancient, and created of the purest light. Binding our souls, our very essences, together would create a bond so strong that even Death could not break it.”

“Michael, you’re not making any sense.” She sighed. She didn’t know which she hated more, having him talk to her like a child, or as though she already knew what he was saying. Both were frustrating and incredibly annoying.

“When I said you smelled of home, you asked me what I meant. When you asked me why we were drawn together, I told you I didn’t know. I know now, Aria.”

She pushed herself up onto her elbows, not wanting to lose the warmth of him or the reassuring weight of him atop her. “Still not making any sense.”

“When father created the archangels, he created us out of love and loneliness and desperation to no longer be alone. Then he realized how very alone we were. Even among our brothers and sisters, we were different. We had free will, we could make our own decisions. We also felt pain, and sadness, and fear, and loneliness. To ease our suffering, father created a soul for each of us. We were to pick a star, and that star would become the other half of us. This other half took our fear, pain, sadness, and loneliness, but it also took our happiness, our strength, and our love. He cast these souls into the universe and promised that when we were ready for them, they would return.”

Michael rolled from atop her and onto the bed, pulling the omega into his lap. He wrapped her in his arms and pressed a tender kiss to her temple. “Lucifer chose the coldest star. Gabriel chose the strongest twin stars, while Raphael chose the brightest.”

“Which one did you choose?” She was somewhat afraid to find out.

“I chose the star that burned the hottest. I wanted my soul to be strong and passionate and as determined as I was. I wanted it to feel the same way I felt.”

“I don’t-”

“You will,” he pressed a finger to her lips to shush her. “Father made me swear that I was certain, that I would be happy with a soul that could rival my own. When I did not falter, he took that star and he created you. That is why you are home, Aria. You are the half of me that father did not wish me to exist without. Binding our souls together would make them whole again. One entity. We would feel each other’s joys and pains; we would never have to fear being torn apart.”

“O-kay.” Aria said hesitantly. “Why can’t we do that now?”

“Your heat,” he began as if it were obvious. “Your first heat will burn through you like hellfire. It will consume you. For our souls to bind, you must burn as hot as the star you once were.”

He seemed saddened by this, and that terrified the omega more than anything ever had.

“It will be painful, nearly fatal. If we do not do this right, you will likely die, and I will be made to search for your soul all over again. I found you by chance this time, and it has taken billions of years to happen. How long will I be forced to wait should you be ripped from me again?”

“I’d die?”

“If the ritual fails. Or if you go into heat and I cannot get to you. It’s why I came back. Your heat is approaching, and I could not risk losing you. Heaven is in shambles right now, Lucifer is free and he’s ripping the host to shreds, but I couldn’t lose you.” She thought for a moment that she could see tears in the alpha’s eyes, but when she looked closer, they were gone. “I’ll not leave your side until it’s over.”

 

“But...Heaven…” Aria tried to argue. Surely all of Heaven was more important than a speck of a being like her.

“Can burn.” Michael insisted.

“Michael,” Aria pulled back slightly. “You can’t let them die.”

“I cannot let you die. Heaven will sort itself out.” He pulled her into a kiss that spoke more of his desperation than his words ever could, and Aria could feel the thrum of energy coursing through him, as though his very essence was determined to see this through. All the omega could do was melt against him and try to force away the guilt that had begun to gnaw at her insides.


	11. Chapter 11

 

One day became two, then three, and before she knew it, a week had passed. Michael hadn’t left her side. The longer it took for her heat to hit, the more anxious Aria became. She felt guilty, as if the blood of every angel Lucifer killed was on her hands, but she kept it to herself. Michael was resolute in his promise, and the others couldn’t do anything about it, so she saw no point is saying anything about it. She forced herself to eat and stole shots of whiskey at night to help her sleep. She had to keep everyone thinking things were fine, after all.

It was late, almost two in the morning by the clock on her nightstand, but the omega couldn’t sleep. She lay perfectly still in her angel’s arms, thankful for the warmth he provided and the safety of being blanketed by his wings. She could tell by his eyes that things were getting worse. As the days dragged on, his usually sharp blue eyes grew darker, clouded by sadness and fear. Would he truly risk all of Heaven just for her? It seemed that way, but part of her hoped that something would sway the alpha, and that he would return to Heaven to stop his brother and the senseless bloodshed.

Aria managed to doze off as the clock flipped to 2:30 AM, but her sleep was just as wrought with worry as her waking hours. Visions of the devastation of Heaven filled her dreamscape, bloodied and broken angels scattering the fields as far as she could see in any direction. The ground oozed blood and even the sky was stained red.

“Not sure why he thinks you’re worth all of this.”

Aria spun around, knowing the voice but needing to see the face. A million thoughts raced through her mind, but she couldn’t think of one coherent sentence to reply with.

“What makes you so special? You’re just a human. Not even an attractive one, at that. I think maybe big brother has finally cracked.” The fallen angel smiled, amused at his own ideas.

Aria wanted to wake up. She knew she was dreaming, knew it wasn’t real, but no matter how hard she pinched her own thigh, nothing happened. She thought about screaming, but she knew it wasn’t likely to do her much good.

“I brought you here as a distraction. I thought, if Michael was busy running after you and your lot, he wouldn’t notice the crumbling of his empire until it was too late, then I could just slip in, slit his throat, and return home.”

“You brought us here?” She managed to stammer.

“It was easy. Balthazar was always a bit gullible. All I had to do was slip him a bit of false information about a powerful weapon being hidden in a different reality, and he was on it like a hellhound at a ten-year mark.” Lucifer chuckled softly as he began to circle her. Aria remained still, her eyes following his every move until they couldn’t anymore. The more the angel spoke, the angrier the omega became. This was all his fault. Every bad thing that had happened to her, and to her friends, was all thanks to him. She clenched her fists at her sides, the pain of her nails digging into her palms helping to ground her.

“Tell me something, omega,” he began as he came around to face her once more. He stopped and turned to face her, leaning down so that his lips brushed over her ear as he spoke. “Are you really such a good little bitch that my brother thinks he’s fallen in love with you?”

Without thought, the omega lashed out, punching the angel square in the nose. She felt the cartilage crack under her knuckles, saw the blood pour from his nostrils, but she didn’t feel as if she’d moved at all. The world around them had gone silent, and while she could see the angel laughing, she couldn’t hear a thing.

Aria woke with a start, shooting up in bed and looking about wildly for any sign of the archangel. He was nowhere to be seen.

“Aria?” Michael sat up, pulling her against him gently. He brushed her hair away from her face, and pressed his lips to her sweat-soaked locks. “What happened, little one? What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing. Just a bad dream is all.” She shook her head to clear it and gave him a smile. “I’m fine.”

He didn’t look at all like he believed her, but he didn’t press the issue. He pulled her back down, tugging the blankets up and wrapping her tight in his arms. Michael stroked her hair gently, trying to ease her back to sleep, but her mind was racing. Had it been real? Had Lucifer been telling her the truth? Michael’s hand moved down, running along her spine, then rubbing circles over her back. Aria tried to relax. She loved the feel of his touch against her skin, and usually it had her feeling like a useless pile of goo in no time, but not now. She was too wound up.

As the sun began to peek through the blinds of her bedroom window, the omega decided she couldn’t just lay there anymore. She pulled herself free of the angel’s grasp and crawled from the bed, shivering at the feeling of his wingtips grazing over her shoulder blades. She hissed as her bare feet met the icy floor and hurried to tug on a pair of thick, fuzzy socks. She pulled on a pair of sleep pants and a shirt that had seen better days as Michael watched her from the bed.

“I’m gonna go start on breakfast.” She muttered, walking past him and out the door without looking back. He would follow her just as he had been for the past week.

The entire day the only thing Aria could think of was the dream she’d had. The fallen angel’s words kept circling through her mind, and everytime she closed her eyes to blink, all she could see was blood. Her right hand ached as though she’d punched a wall, but there were no scratches or bruises. By the time she crawled back into bed that evening, she was beginning to think she was losing her mind.

She didn’t sleep that night. She didn’t even try. She just curled up against her angel, her back pressed against his front, and stared at the wall.

“Will you ever tell me what’s bothering you, or are you just going to stare at the wall forever?” Michael’s voice drifted over her as his lips brushed over the nape of her neck. He trailed kisses over her bare shoulder, then back up her neck. She shivered beneath his touch as his fingers danced along her ribs and over her stomach. When she didn’t try to shy away, he stopped. Michael pulled away, tugging at her shoulder and forcing her to roll onto her back.

“Aria, what’s wrong?” Her eyes were still glued to the wall, but she could hear the concern in his voice.

“Nothing,” she muttered softly.

“Don’t lie to me, little omega. It will not end well.” He warned, leaning over her. She could see him out of the corner of her eye now. His eyes were moving over her face as though they were searching for something. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she whispered, blinking owlishly as her gaze remained fixed on the wall.

“Aria,” Michael growled against her ear.

She looked at him then, her eyes set in a heated glare, and spoke in a low growl. “I said it’s nothing.”

The archangel seemed momentarily taken aback by her response, but then his eyes darkened, flashing crimson as his lips pulled into a feral snarl. The omega didn’t even twitch when he growled, keeping her glaring eyes locked with his own. It was a silent battle and she refused to be the one to back down. After what felt like an eternity, Michael huffed and pushed himself away from her. He sat up, perched on the edge of the bed with his back to her.

“I’m going to stretch my wings.” He bit out over his shoulder. “When I return, you’re going to tell me exactly what it is you’re keeping from me.”

He didn’t give her a chance to respond before vanishing from sight with a flutter of wings. Aria huffed and forced herself out of bed. She needed something to drink, preferably something strong. She tugged on the nearest shirt and a pair of shorts, still wearing the fuzzy socks she had pulled on hours before and walked towards the door. She stopped when she felt something odd beneath her foot and stooped down to see what it was.

A single feather, brilliantly white at the tip then fading into reddish brown towards the quill, had fluttered to the floor. Aria had never actually seen Michael’s feathers and she didn’t think angels had a tendency to shed. She picked it up, twirling it slowly between her fingers as a sliver of moonlight fell over it. She was so entranced in the beauty of it, the way the moonlight seemed to turn to glitter as it touched the feather, that she nearly missed the ruffle of feathers behind her.

She stood, heaving a sigh, and turned around, her eyes stuck to the floor as she pouted. “That was quick. I figured you’d be gone a few hours at least.”

When he didn’t respond, Aria scuffed one socked foot over the floor. “Would it help if I said I was sorry?”

“You don’t know how sorry you’re going to be.” A chill ran through her, freezing the omega to her core. Fear took over every cell in her body. She wanted to scream, to run, to do something, but she couldn’t.

“Aww. What’s the matter? Snake got your tongue?” A cold hand forced her chin up, her green eyes meeting icy blue orbs. They were so like Michael’s and yet vastly different, and another shiver wracked her body. He let her chin go, only to wrap his hand around her throat. He squeezed, tightening his hold ever so slowly until Aria was dizzy and struggling to breathe. She reached up, clawing at his hand, but it made no difference.

“I’ve been waiting for big brother to step away. It’s time to welcome you to the family, little omega.” Lucifer’s snicker was the last thing she heard before everything faded to black.


	12. Chapter 12

 

The first thing she noticed when she came to was that she was freezing. It was worse than any cold she’d experienced in her life, settling deep in her bones. The second thing she noticed was that she couldn’t move. She couldn’t open her eyes, and when she tried to open her mouth to cry out, she found that she couldn’t move her jaw. She could feel everything, but no matter what she did, Aria couldn’t so much as wiggle her toes.

“I wonder how long it’ll take them to notice you’re gone?” Icy air puffed over her face, cold to the point of burning against her cheek. “Too long, probably, especially without that awful collar.”

Aria didn’t have time to dwell on his words. Without warning, something hard caught her across the stomach. The initial blow was shocking, but the sting that followed was infinitely worse. Again and again he struck her, never in the same place, and it didn’t take Aria long to realize that she was completely naked, exposed to the sadistic archangel and protected by nothing. Her collar was gone and Michael had no idea she was even gone. She was doomed. When the blows stopped coming, she dragged in a shaky breath. Her stomach, back, thighs, and chest burned, and she wanted to cry or scream, but whatever magic he was using wouldn’t let her do anything more than breathe.

‘Michael,’ she prayed silently, hoping he would hear her. ‘Michael, please. Help me.’

“You’re so pale.” Lucifer whispered, dragging a hand along one of her calves. “It makes the blood stand out so beautifully.”

A different kind of pain followed his words as he sliced into her thigh with what felt like a blade. An angel blade, most likely, she realized, probably covered in the blood of a thousand angels already. He sliced her other thigh, the blade digging deep into her flesh. Aria lost track of how many cuts he made, and she didn’t dare count the seconds. She didn’t want to know how long he stood over her, laughing at her pain as he carved her up.

He seemed to disappear for a while, though she couldn’t tell how long he was gone. It didn’t matter. She prayed silently to her angel, but the longer things went on, the more she began to wonder if he could hear her at all. Maybe Lucifer was blocking her cries somehow.

Next came burning. Her skin was so incredibly cold that it took her a moment to feel the flames. He started with the pads of her feet, holding the fire against them until she was sure they were charred and dead. Then he moved to her hands, burning the tip of each finger, then her palms. She must have passed out along the way, though.

She was freezing and burning and aching all over when she woke again, and there was an incredible pressure against her chest.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Lucifer crooned in her ear. “That selfish alpha of yours still hasn’t realized his precious little bitch is missing. Maybe,” he paused, “maybe he just doesn’t care.”

The archangel’s words cut through her, sticking into her worse than any blade. He was lying, trying to break her and rile her up. She wouldn't give in. Her angel would come for her.

The weight against her chest increased and she felt something inside of her chest crack. A rib. He was crushing her, and her ribs were starting to snap. Fear welled up inside of her as she began to understand that he meant to kill her. She didn’t want to die, especially not like this. She tried to whine as another rib cracked, but it never passed her lips. A third rib snapped and she lost consciousness once more.

She felt like she was floating. She was weightless and warm. Everything was peaceful.

“You keep dying on me, bitch. That’s not very nice of you. I thought omegas were made to handle pain.” Aria was jolted awake as every muscle in her body spasmed to life. Electroshock. She’d never forget that feeling. Again he jolted her, and it felt as if a hundred tiny lightning strikes were hitting her body.

‘Michael,’ she thought, doubting he’d ever hear her prayer. ‘Alpha.’

The next time Aria awoke, something was different. For a second she wondered if Lucifer had her roasting on a spit, she was so incredibly warm. His words made her wish that he did.

“Looks like someone’s going into heat.” His sing-song tone irritated her. “This should be fun. I wonder how Michael will feel when I mate you. Whatever will he do when he realizes what a whore his little omega is.”

She wanted to scream, to growl and lash out at the angel, but all she could manage was a glare. He wouldn't break her. He couldn't. She wouldn’t let him. She thought of how angry Michael would be if she let another alpha break her, and that gave her a bit of strength.

Lucifer caught her gaze and stopped. He stared into her eyes for what felt like eons, before growling and backhanding the omega. His garnet eyes turned soft a second later.

“No one is coming for you, little one. Not your friends, not the Winchesters, not even your precious Michael. They don't care about you. You were nothing but a nuisance, and they're all so very happy now that the defective bitch is gone. See?”

Lucifer held up what looked like a mirror, but she wasn't looking at her own reflection. All of her friends were gathered around the fireplace in Bobby’s living room, laughing and enjoying themselves. No one mentioned her, no one seemed to notice she was missing. Tears burned at her eyes even as she told herself it wasn't real. This was Lucifer for Chuck’s sake. He knew her weaknesses, and he knew how to use them against her. He friends were probably worried sick, looking everywhere they could for her.

Aria turned her eyes back to the angel, her eyes telling him everything she couldn’t say. The mirror vanished and he started the beatings over again with a sick grin.

“You'll break,” he promised. “Eventually, everyone breaks.”


	13. Chapter 13

 

Eventually Lucifer got tired of speaking to himself. At least, that’s what she figured was the reason behind his removal of whatever magic was keeping her from speaking. That, or he really just wanted to hear her scream.

Her heat was raging now. She burned constantly, and every inch of her skin itched and burned and felt much too small for her bones. Her joints, though she couldn’t move them, ached horribly, and her stomach was cramping worse than it ever had before. A need for something was clawing at her insides, and while she knew what it was, she was too afraid to admit it.

Lucifer knew, though. He spent most of his time taunting her as he inflicted his tortures. He was careful not to touch her, not to brush the barest hint of his skin against her’s. She wished he’d slip up and she hated herself for it. She needed touch. She craved it with everything she was. If he would just touch her, she knew she’d feel a little better. He didn’t slip up though. He was too meticulous for that, and it made her hate him even more if that were possible.

By the time he stopped whipping her, Aria’s throat was raw. She could taste blood. He didn’t care.

“Ready to beg, bitch?” He taunted, moving his hand just above the skin of her cheek. Unconsciously, she leaned towards his touch, causing him to pull away. Aria wanted to slap herself for her neediness.

“Why don’t you just do us all a favor and crawl back into your cage like the rabid beast you are?” Her voice was rough, hoarse with overuse, and she coughed violently when she finished speaking. He growled, but said nothing in response. When her coughing subsided, she realized he’d vanished once again, leaving her alone, wishing he’d just let her die.

He hadn’t healed her in ages, laying layer after layer of cuts, bruises, burns, and welts atop one another. Aria wasn’t sure if she’d ever wanted to give up so badly before. A large part of her was silently begging her to just close her eyes and fade away. Every time she thought about it, though, she imagined what the others would say. The idea of hurting them by giving up was more than she could bare.

Aria didn’t care to know how long he was gone. It wouldn’t have mattered if she had. The pain, both internal and external were taking up most of her focus. The passing of time had long since become irrelevant to the omega.

“Do you think I won’t let you die?” His voice was soft, his icy breath ghosting over her cheek as he whispered against her ear. “Do you think I really care about your suffering?”

“Go to hell,” Aria growled, refusing to look at the angel. Silently, she prayed to Michael, hoping that he might hear her, that he might be able to follow her pleas and at least recover her corpse. She didn’t want to die, and she wasn’t going to give up, but her body could only take so much.

“I’ve been there. It didn’t agree with me.” He sneered as he shoved the tip of his blade into her side. Aria bit hard at her lip to keep from screaming, but it was too much. He pulled the blade out, and for a brief moment she was able to breathe again. Then he jabbed his finger deep into the wound, moving it around and pulling at the torn skin and muscle. A cry tore from her throat, echoing in the nothingness around them, and he laughed.

He stabbed her again, repeating the processes over and over. Her abdomen was covered in puncture wounds, bleeding and throbbing as he prodded each and every one of them. It seemed as if his imagination would never stop coming up with new ways to make her scream or cry. When he grew bored of stabbing her, he held a flame to each puncture, cauterizing the wound and scorching the flesh around it. She was unconscious before he finished.

She was floating again, but it was blazing hot. She didn’t want to open her eyes, knowing she’d be greeted by the sight of the sadistic angel once again. Or maybe this time, she would be in Hell. It would certainly be a respite. She could feel herself slipping, numbness taking over her mind. If she wasn’t dead, then she was dying, but surprisingly she wasn’t afraid. She thought she might be terrified when the time came, but instead all she could feel was heat and numbness. If this was it, she thought, then she would spend her last few breaths saying all the things she had been too afraid or too stubborn to say before.

“Michael-” she whispered softly, her voice barely audible even to her own ears. “I’m sorry. For everything. I should have been better, tried harder. I should have at least tried to deserve you. I didn’t deserve any of you. I’ve been a horrible friend, a horrible person, a horrible omega. I’ve made mistakes, and I’m not going to get the chance to fix them now. Maybe you can hear me, maybe you just don’t care, and that’s alright. I was never worth sacrificing for.”

She was crying now, tears spilling from the corners of her closed eyes, but she couldn’t stop. Breathing was getting difficult, and thinking straight was almost impossible. She had to say it now.

“I love you. Its silly and foolish, but its true. I fell in love with you, and it was so easy, like falling asleep.” A harsh cough stole her words. When she calmed, gasping for breath, she swore she could hear wings. Maybe he was coming for her after all. Just in time to watch her die. How poetic.

“I’m sorry, Michael. Tell them all that. Tell them I’m sorry. Tell them I tried. Tell them all I love them.” She coughed again, her chest aching horribly. It felt like she was breathing in flames, and they burned down her throat and into her lungs. She wheezed as the coughing subsided, her breaths coming in short, shallow pants. Something warm and rough pressed against her cheek and she turned into the touch. Her eyes blinked open, but her sight was blurry and dim.

She had hoped to see her angel there, those too-blue eyes blazing with anger to mask the sadness. Instead she saw the man she knew was coming.

“I’m not ready,” She whispered, blinking rapidly as more tears fell. “He didn’t hear me. He has to know.”

“He knows.” The pale, gaunt man assured her, brushing a bit of sweat-soaked hair from her forehead. “He always knew.”

“But-” He cut her off with a look. “Please...I don’t want to go.”

“No one ever wants to go, my dear, but we all have our time.”

“What’ll happen? Where will I go?”

“That’s not for me to decide.”

“You’re going home.” Aria turned her head, her movements sluggish. A small, sad smile crossed her lips. He was stunning in golden armor, his wings relaxed against his back as the tips brushed against his ankles. He held a sword in one hand, the blade pristine, and a shield covered his other arm. He looked every bit the warrior, and Aria was honored that it would be the last sight she would see.

“Even you cannot halt death, archangel.” Death gave him a knowing, somber look. She got the feeling that the sardonic man had wanted them to triumph and was upset to see they hadn’t.

“She’s not dead yet.”

“She is fading quickly. Even your power cannot save her.”

“Mine can.” A smaller figure appeared from behind the archangel. The comparison was almost laughable, Aria mused. Michael was a massive, imposing force in his battle gear with his glowing blue eyes. Chuck was dwarfed by his height, wearing jeans and a worn hoodie, his grey Converse scuffed and faded. Yet, as she looked at him, catching his kind eyes, she felt as if he were the one she would cower before.

“It took you long enough,” Death snipped, giving the deity a look of disapproval and reproach.

“Sorry about that.” Chuck smiled warmly, actually looking sheepish and ashamed. “But we can deal with my absence later.”

She wanted to shrink away as he moved closer, but she still couldn’t move her body. She’d long since stopped caring that she was naked, but her shame burned through her almost as badly as her heat. One gentle hand pressed against her chest, and suddenly everything was glowing. Nothing hurt anymore, nothing ached, nothing burned. It was like she’d slipped into a warm bath and all the suffering was washing away.

“Take her, Michael,” His words were muffled, and she was having a difficult time comprehending anything. “Hurry, before her heat takes over again.”

Her body was no longer numb, and the cool metal of his armor was refreshing against her skin as the angel picked her up. The omega curled against him, pressing her nose to his neck as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. For the first time in ages she felt safe. She didn’t care where he took her, or what happened from there, so long as he never left her alone again.

“Wait,” she muttered, turning her head to look back at Chuck. “What about Lucifer?”

“I'll deal with him. You don't need to worry about him. He won't hurt you again.” Chuck swore and she saw the wrath in his eyes. Instinctively she curled into Michael’s touch again, nodding her thanks. In a flurry of feathers, they were gone, Michael carrying her away to some unknown place.


	14. Chapter 14

 

“Michael,” she moaned, pressing her nose against his neck once more. It was difficult with his armor in the way, and the more she struggled, the louder she whined.

“Patience, little one. We’re almost there.” He assures her, the vibrations of his voice rumbling through her body. The ache that had vanished with Chuck’s healing was returning full force, and despite being in his arms and surrounded by his scent, Aria needed more. She whined again, earning her an amused chuckle from the angel.

They landed soon after, but the omega refused to open her eyes. She didn't care where they were. All she wanted was her alpha, his knot, and his teeth in her neck. He placed her on her back on something soft and brushed her hair from her face.

“Open your eyes.” He whispered, and as much as she didn't want to, her body obeyed his command. It was dim, almost too dark to see, as Aria blinked up at him. She focused on Michael, reaching out with one trembling hand to touch his cheek. She opened her mouth to speak, but instead a pained whine fell from her lips. She curled in on herself as her stomach cramped, and rolled onto her side. Whatever she was laying on smelled strongly of the alpha and she buried her face in it in the hope that it would soothe her.

His hand worked its way between her arms to press against her stomach, rubbing small circles over it. When the cramps had passed, Aria relaxed, turning her head to look up at him. She was met with an odd mixture of concern and hunger in his eyes. Slowly he pulled away and stood, laughing when Aria quickly reached for him with a scared whine.

“I'm not going anywhere, Aria. I cannot help you if I'm shrouded in armor.” He chided as he began removing his gauntlets. A pile of armor began to grow at his feet, until finally, he was removing the mail that lay beneath it all. She watched his every move, waiting for him to vanish again, to leave her alone at the mercy of her own biology. When he stripped away the linen tunic and breeches he wore, she allowed her eyes to rake over his chiseled form greedily. He was gorgeous. His beauty did little to assuage her irritation though.

“Better?” She quipped, pouting slightly. He could have removed it all with a snap of his fingers and she knew it. He was trying to tease her.

“Yes,” he purred as he lay beside her. He turned her face up, his lips meeting her own in a slow, gentle kiss. Aria growled into the kiss, biting hard at his lip. She appreciated the tenderness, but it wasn't what she needed. She needed her alpha, she needed him to dominate her and claim her and fill her with his pups.

The last thought caught her off guard and for a moment the omega stared at him with wide eyes.

“What’s wrong, pet?” He asked, trailing kisses along her jaw and down her neck.

“P-pups.”

“What about them?”

“I-we-we can't…” she trailed off with a moan as his teeth nipped at her collarbone.

“Why not?” He smirked against her skin as he moved down.

She was mewling now, his actions sending tendrils of pleasure throughout her overheated, oversensitive body. “Nephilim.”

He pulled back to look at her, a glimmer dancing in his eyes. “You're my mate, my soul. If you are meant to bear my pups, you shall. If you are not, you won't. It's nothing to worry about now. For now, we need to focus on mating, on joining together. There will be other heats for breeding later.”

He was almost clinical in his tone and it left her feeling awkward, but he had a point. She'd nearly died from her heat already.

“Then what the hell are you waiting for?” She growled again, pulling him to her by his hair, her fingers clutching tightly at the short strands. Their lips crashed together in a mess of teeth and tongues, both of them vying for dominance. In the end, the alpha won. He rolled her onto her back, straddling her waist as he pinned her by her wrists at either side of her head.

“Patience,” he growled as he pulled away. She grinned, pleased with his flushed cheeks and swollen lips. “Minx. Don't move.”

He let go of her wrists and picked up where he'd left off with his trail of kisses. He pressed his lips to the spot between her breasts, then trailed his lips down over her ribs and stomach. As her eyes adjusted more to the dim light, she realized what he was doing. Each spot he kissed was an injury from Lucifer’s torments, and while they were gone from her skin thanks to Chuck, somehow he knew where each wound had been. Her heart hammered against her chest as he bit at a spot on her hip, her breath coming out in shallow pants. Her body was humming, buzzing with the agonizingly slow buildup of pleasure as his kisses trailed over her thighs and calves. He didn't stop until every mark had been touched with his lips.

“Michael,” she mewled. Her cheeks were burning, flushed with excitement and embarrassment. She could feel the slick as it seeped out of her, coating her thighs and pooling on the soft bed beneath her. She turned her face away, trying not to show how awkward she felt.

“There's nothing to be ashamed of, little one.” He smiled as he kissed his way back up the inside of one thigh. The higher he climbed, the hotter her cheeks burned and the slicker she became. It was incredibly arousing and mortifying at the same time. She was about to say as much when every thought she had ever had slipped from her mind, replaced by pure pleasure as his tongue swiped over her entrance. He moaned lewdly as he lapped at her slick, his warm, wet tongue slipping inside her again and again.

She struggled against the urge to just relax and let things happen. She wanted to keep her wits about her. She wanted to be in control of herself if nothing else. A sharp sting in her thigh caused her to yelp and push herself up on her elbows to look down at him. He was grinning like a feral animal, his eyes glowing the brightest crimson she'd ever seen.

“Let go,” he whispered. “Let me take care of you.”

“I-”

“Let. Go.” His alpha voice shook her to her core. Aria nodded, falling back against the soft bed once more. She struggled to comply, to give him total control. After Lucifer, the idea of not being in control was terrifying to the omega. She knew Michael wouldn't hurt her, but what if it wasn't real? What if it was all a trick from Lucifer to get her to give in to him?

“Aria.” She snapped back to reality, wide eyes looking up to find the alpha looming over her. All she could see were his eyes, wild and demanding and hungry. “Let go.”

He kissed her again, his lips demanding and hard against her own. He pushed his tongue past her lips and she moaned as she tasted herself on him. She couldn't have hidden how aroused it made her if she'd wanted to. She was soaked again with slick already, her need for him returning full force.

“Trust me, my mate. Let me take care of you,” he whispered against her lips. “Submit to your alpha, and I'll make all the pain go away.”

She whined as another cramp sent spasms through her stomach. Aria closed her eyes, trying to breathe through it, and turned her head away to expose her neck to him.

“That's my good girl,” he praised, his lips pressing to her pulse point as his hands slipped beneath her thighs. He lined himself up and slowly pushed inside her, keeping her legs spread wide with her knees hooked over his elbows. She bit at her lip, trying to ignore the pain as he stretched her.

“Shhh,” he kissed along her jaw. “You're doing so well. Relax. Just breathe.”

It was silly and condescending, but his praise made her feel better. She pulled in a slow, deep breath, forcing herself to relax around him. She let the breath out with a whine when he paused and looked up at him in confusion.

His eyes were locked on hers, and they appeared calm, but he was biting his lip so hard it was bleeding. He was having a hard time controlling himself, she realized. Aria reached up, ignoring his low growl. He'd told her not to move. She didn't care. She cupped one cheek with her hand, running her thumb over his bottom lip and pulling it free from his teeth. Her other hand slipped into the hair at the nape of his neck and she pulled him down towards her.

“It's okay,” she smiled reassuringly. “I'm not made of glass. You're not going to break me.”

She leaned up, kissing him gently. Her tongue darted out to lap up his blood, and with a deep growl, Michael slammed the rest of the way into her. She wanted to scream. He felt huge inside her, bigger than any of the guys she had ever been with. He swallowed her whimpers, turning the kiss into one of possession. She was his now, truly his. The idea of it left her body thrumming with excitement.

He didn't move for several long minutes, seemingly content to just kiss her until she passed out from lack of air. She was starting to sweat, her body temperature rising again. They needed to move, he needed to move.

“Michael- alpha, please.” She stammered with a shuddering breath as he finally pulled back. The pain had subsided as he pulled out of her slowly, and it was completely replaced by blinding pleasure as he slammed back into her. He set a hard, fast pace, pushing her closer and closer to the edge of bliss. Her head fell back, leaving her neck completely exposed to him.

She was almost at her peak when she began to realize that something was different. He wasn't moving as fast and there was a pressure inside when he pushed back into her with every thrust. The longer he went, the greater the pressure, and she could hear a soft popping noise when he pulled out and pushed back inside. His knot was swelling. A sudden anxiety swept over her. There was no way it would fit. It would be too big. He'd split her open.

“Stop worrying.” He panted, his voice rough and deeper than usual. “You're made for this, for me. It'll be fine. Relax. It's almost time.”

Aria swallowed her fear. He was right. She was his soulmate. She could handle it. She tried to steady her breathing as her body temperature climbed, and focused on the pleasure that shot through her with every move. She almost couldn't hear his mumbling, and she couldn't understand what he was saying, but she assumed it had to do with the ritual he'd mentioned before.

He reached between them, his muttering never pausing, to rub at the sensitive bundle of nerves between her legs. It was too much for her to take. With moments, she was screaming his name, arching up against him as wave after wave of blinding pleasure washed over her. His words cut off abruptly as he let out a roar and her pleasure turned to pain. His teeth sank deep into the skin of her neck where it met her shoulder and she could feel and smell blood as it poured from the wound. Her body was on fire, and it felt as if something inside of her was being ripped apart and melted together then ripped apart again. Her mind was flooded with images, words, and feelings that weren't her own.

She whined and tried to pull away, but pain shot through her once again as she pulled at his knot. They were tied and she hadn't even noticed it. She felt full, stretched beyond belief, and she wasn't sure if it was something she liked or loathed.

“Shhhhh,” he shushed her again as he lapped at her neck. The bleeding had stopped. She didn't know how she knew, but she did. Michael wrapped her in his arms, easing them onto their sides, trying not to pull at his knot. “It's alright, little omega. It's all over now. There's nothing left but to wait.”

“Hurts,” she sniffled, blinking back tears.

“I know it does, but it will fade. It's already healing.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead as he pulled her leg up over his hip. His left wings fluffed out before falling over them both and covering them like a blanket.

“Not that.” She pouted, pressing her cheek against his chest and nuzzling it. She rolled her hips a bit and clenched her muscles around his knot.

“I'm sorry. Next time, I'll be able to take my time.” He apologized, groaning and rutting into her. “I'll make sure you never hurt again.”

She knew what wasn't a promise he could keep, but his words were sincere. She wanted to believe him. She snuggled against him, yawning as she opened her mouth to speak. Michael laughed lightly and carded a hand through her shaggy, sweaty hair.

“Sleep, my mate. You've had a rough few days.”

Days. It had only been a few days. It felt like years in her mind, but she kept quiet. There would be time to talk later, she thought as she drifted off. He was her’s now and he wasn't going anywhere.

Aria didn't know how long she'd been asleep, but when she woke up, she was alone and wearing the tunic Michael had worn beneath his armor. Her entire body ached and she was in desperate need of a shower. She pushed herself up to sitting and glanced around. It was still dim wherever they were, but she could see well enough. She was laying in the middle of what looked like a pile of feathers. She picked one up, smiling when she realized it was Michael's.

“It's my nest.” His voice echoed in the darkness, and she glanced behind her to find him sitting against a far wall, wearing the linen pants he'd had on before. “I've been working on it since I realized what you are, who you are. Every time you'd anger me, or when I couldn't trust myself to be around you, I came here. The closer it got to your heat, the more feathers I shed, so it would be ready for you. I wanted it to be as soft as possible.”

Her heart warmed at his words and she twirled the feather between her fingers. He'd built her a nest. He wanted her to be comfortable and to feel safe. Without a word, Aria crawled over to him. She climbed into his lap, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. She kissed him, her movements slow, unhurried as she thanked him silently. She loved it, loved him, but had no clue how to actually say as much. He returned her kiss, his arms winding around her waist and holding her close.


	15. Chapter 15

 

It was another three days before her heat was over. Her temperature had dropped back to near normal after their initial mating, which Aria was blissfully thankful for. Her mating mark was mostly healed, or so Michael assured her. She was still getting used to the idea of being mated. She had wanted it for a while, but now that it had happened, everything just felt overwhelmingly different. Michael told her it was because of their bond. With each subsequent mating after their first, she could feel something almost tangible between them resonating. The more they were together, the stronger the resonance became, and the more clearly she understood it all.

The things she was feeling weren't all her’s. She was feeling his emotions, too. She could tell what the angel was thinking without even looking at him, and it was incredibly disconcerting when he answered questions she hadn't asked. It did come in handy though, like when she’d wanted him to bend her over and take her until she couldn't walk, but was too shy to ask.

When her heat had passed, Michael whisked her away again, and dropped her into the bathroom at Bobby’s. He sat her on her feet, started the shower, then climbed beneath the soothing, steaming spray with her. He washed her from head to toe methodically, then scrubbed her hair, and Aria could do little more than let him.

“Go dress. I'll be right behind you.” He instructed as she rinsed the last of the conditioner from her hair. Aria smiled, reaching up to peck him on the lips, then climbed out. Her legs were shaky, her balance as bad as ever, but she somehow managed to stay upright on her own. The omega dried herself, then wrapped the oversized towel around herself and padded as quietly as she could to her room. The house was dark, and the sky beyond the windows was pitch black.

Stifling a yawn, Aria slipped into her room and softly shut the door behind her. She dressed in a daze, pulling on a loose pair of pajama pants and a too-big tee, then sat on the foot of the bed to dry and comb out her hair. It had grown a great deal since they’d landed in this reality, almost brushing her shoulders now.

“It's rude to stare.” She quipped with a smirk, not bothering to look over at the angel as he stepped into the thin shafts of moonlight that cut across her floor.

“Then I suppose I shall be considered ill-mannered,” came the whispered reply as warm, velvet lips pressed against her cheek.

“Tell me something I don't know.” She turned, catching his lips in a quick kiss. “Let's get some sleep, my rude angel. I'll teach you a lesson in manners in the morning.”

The couple crawled into bed, Aria curling around Michael as he covered her in his wings, and drifted off to sleep. She was sure she would need the rest for the reception her friends were likely to give her come morning.

She was right. She figured they'd been asleep maybe three hours before the thundering of feet woke her. Pale sunlight replaced the moonlight from before, and her bedside clock was flashing 7:00AM. She groaned, turning to hide her face in her alpha’s chest. She could sleep for several days and still be tired.

“You're friends are eager to see that you're alright.” Michael slowly retracted his wings, letting them rest against his back. “You should go see them.”

Aria just wanted to go back to bed, but she could hear the whispers from the other side of the bedroom door. Resolving to sleep for the next two days, she pushed herself out of bed and made her way to the door. Without a word, she wrenched it open, and three bodies tumbled to the floor of her bedroom.

“Don't y'all have anything better to do then eavesdrop on Michael's snoring?” She cocked one brow as she looked down at the omega and the two betas. Before she could say anything else, she was tackled and knocked to the floor by what seemed to be a streak of dark brown hair.

“Hey, it's okay,” Aria grinned brightly. “I'm alright. Still alive and kicking.” She wrapped Christine in her arms, ignoring the sudden dampness at her shoulder. The alpha was crying, but no one else would know. When she finally pulled away, wiping furiously at her cheeks and eyes, she was giving the omega a frightening look.

“Don't you ever do that to me again. I was worried sick. I thought I'd lost you, you-you-you ass!” The alpha punched her hard on the shoulder, and while it hurt like hell the only thing Aria could do was smile.

“Sorry, next time I'll be sure to have Lucifer ask you for permission before he kidnaps me and carts me away to be tortured.” She deadpanned, earning her another punch to the arm.

“Damn straight you will.”

Christine pulled away and stood up. Before Aria could follow suit, Max, Xander, and Renee swarmed her, swallowing the omega in a painfully tight group hug. They all pulled away reluctantly after several minutes and suddenly everyone was talking at once, asking what had happened, if she was alright, if Lucifer was dead.

“I'm fine, guys.” Aria assured them as she stood. “He didn't do anything to me that I couldn't handle.”

The omega sent a pleading look at her mate to keep quiet about the whole almost dying part, and was relieved when he nodded.

“I don't know what happened. One minute he was the there, the next he was gone and Michael was saving me. My very own knight in shining armor.” She teased the alpha, winking at him over her shoulder as she ushered the group towards the door. “Now, why don't we all go downstairs, I'll cook a big breakfast, and you can catch me up and all the things I missed while I was gone.”

“Nope,” Renee turned to look at her, crossing her arms over her chest.

“What do you mean, nope?” Aria raised a brow.

“You need to rest. I'm going to cook breakfast and you are going to go and relax in front of the fire with some coffee.” The small beta insisted. She wanted argue, but then again, Renee’s demand sounded pretty nice.

“Fine.”

The beta gave a small “whoop” of triumph before bolting from the room and down the stairs. Max followed behind her, yawning and stretching as she went. As Aria stepped out into the hall she found that Christine was standing by the door to the room she shared with her mates, talking softly to Sam and Gabriel, and Xander was coming back out of his room, dragging Castiel behind him by the hand. The angel caught her eye, giving her a sad look that turned to confusion as she smiled at him. The angel shook his head and turned his attention back to his omega as he dragged him down the stairs.

“You coming?” Aria looked back only to find that Michael was gone. She swallowed her sadness as she made her way down to the living room. He would be back, she knew that. She just hated not having him there. She flopped onto the pile of fuzzy blankets that had migrated to the floor in front of the fireplace and curled up, jumping a bit as someone joined her, curling around her from behind.

“You okay, sugarcube?” Gabriel asked softly as he stroked her hair with one hand. Aria shrugged, butting against his hand like a cat.

“I will be, I guess. In time. I just hope Michael comes back soon. I'm scared to be alone.”

“He will be. He got called to have a chat with dear old dad. Should be back soon.” Gabriel reassured her. She nodded, closing her eyes and letting herself drift in the space between sleep and consciousness. When she came to again, a plate was being wafted in front of her face, piled high with French toast, eggs, bacon, and covered in syrup. Renee was smiling brightly at her as she sat it down, the fork clinking light against the plate.

“Hope you like it. I wasn't sure how hungry you might be.” She said, plopping down beside her with a plate of her own. The thought occurred to Aria that she hadn't eaten anything since Lucifer had taken her, and on cue her stomach let out a loud rumble. She laughed nervously as she pushed herself up to sitting.

“I could eat.”

It was late when Michael returned, and Aria was wide awake. She hadn't been able to sleep, or even close her eyes as she lay in her bed. She had almost drifted off once, but jolted away with a cry when she began to feel as though she couldn't move. The darker her room became, the worse her anxiety became. With her heat no longer raging through her, her mind was starting to process the events that had taken place during her time as Lucifer’s captive. She hid it well from the others, but she was a wreck inside.

She wondered if she would ever be the same again. Maybe it was for the best if she never got back to being that person. She was happy here, as Michael's mate, and she'd come to terms with being an omega. Maybe she was better off being afraid of the world, being scared of shadows and hiding like a pup under the blankets. Being brash and brave had gotten her into this mess, after all. Being stubborn and headstrong had only forced Lucifer to push harder.

The archangel found her huddled in a corner between the bed and the wall, wrapped in a blanket and crying as quietly as she could manage. When he reached for her, she screamed, looking about wildly, her eyes filled with tears and terror.

It took an hour to calm her down, and another hour to get her into bed. She drifted into a fitful sleep as the sun rose outside. The entire time, neither spoke. She cried and he held her. They both knew that she was more broken than she could ever admit, and they both hoped that with time, she might get better. It would be alright, Aria heard Michael's words in her head.

“We’ve got plenty of time.” They both whispered into the darkness.

 


End file.
